lawyer who defended randy weaver

What did Randy Weaver do?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Randall Claude " Randy " Weaver (born January 3, 1948) is a former U.S. Army engineer known for his role in the Ruby Ridge standoff near Naples, Idaho, in 1992. Weaver, his family, and a friend named Kevin Harris engaged in an armed standoff with U.S. Marshals and FBI agents.

Who is Randy Weaver in Ruby Ridge?

Randall Claude " Randy " Weaver (born January 3, 1948) is a former U.S. Army engineer known for his role in the Ruby Ridge standoff near Naples, Idaho, in 1992. Weaver, his family, and a friend named Kevin Harris engaged in an armed standoff with U.S. Marshals and FBI agents.

What was the defense strategy in the Weaver case?

Attorney Gerry Spence handled Weaver's defense, and successfully argued that Weaver's actions were justifiable as self-defense. Spence did not call any witnesses for the defense, rather focusing on attacking the credibility of FBI agents and forensic technicians. The judge dismissed two counts after hearing prosecution witness testimony.

What happened to Randy Harris and the weavers?

Gritz and two other friends of Randy succeeded on August 30 in convincing the injured Harris to surrender and receive medical treatment. The Weavers surrendered the next day following word from Gritz that famed defense attorney Gerry Spence had readily agreed to represent Weaver in his trial.

Why is Gerry Spence famous?

Legendary Trial Lawyer Gerry Spence is a legend among the trial bar as one of the greatest trial lawyers of our times. His civil practice and defense of those charged with crimes has gained him an international reputation for his high profile cases and record results for the poor, the injured and the damned.

Who is Gerry Spence married to?

Imaging SpenceGerry Spence / Spouse

How old is Gerry Spence?

93 years (January 8, 1929)Gerry Spence / Age

Where is Gerry Spence now?

After winning the Fieger acquittal in 2008, Spence told jurors, "This is my last case. I will be 80 in January, and it's time for me to quit, to put down the sword." In 2010, Spence was still listed as an active partner in the Spence Law Firm, located in Jackson, Wyoming, and continues to make public appearances.

Does Gerry Spence have any children?

(a chemist) and Esther Sophie (a homemaker; maiden name, Pfleeger) Spence; married Anna Wilson, June 20, 1947 (divorced, 1969); married LaNelle Hampton Peterson Hawks (a designer), November 18, 1969; children: (first marriage) Kip, Kerry Spence Suendermann, Kent, Katy; Christopher Peterson Hawks, Brents Jefferson Hawks ...

Who is the greatest lawyer of all time?

Four Famous Lawyers in History Every Attorney Should KnowJoe Jamail (aka King of Torts) During his time, Joe Jamail was the richest attorney in the United States and some would argue one of the most famous prosecutors to litigate. ... Abraham Lincoln (aka Honest Abe) ... Clarence Darrow. ... Mary Jo White.

Who is the most successful attorney?

Without further ado, here's the current list of the top 12 wealthiest, practicing lawyers:Robert Shapiro. ... Willie E. ... John Branca. ... Roy Black. Net Worth: $65 million.Jane Wanjiru Michuki. Net Worth: $60 million.Alan Dershowitz. Net Worth: $25 million.Mark Geragos. Net Worth: $25 million.Thomas Mesereau. Net Worth: $25 million.More items...•

Did Gerry Spence lose a case?

Gerry Spence is widely considered one of the most successful trial and criminal attorneys in America. He has never once lost a criminal case — either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney — and he hasn't lost a civil case since 1969.

Who was Randy Weaver?

4 (1 deceased) Randall Claude " Randy " Weaver (born January 3, 1948) is a former U.S. Army engineer known for his role in the Ruby Ridge standoff near Naples, Idaho, in 1992. Weaver, his family, and a friend named Kevin Harris engaged in an armed standoff with U.S. Marshals and FBI agents. During the standoff, Weaver’s 14-year-old son Sammy was ...

Who was the attorney for Weaver and Harris?

During the federal criminal trial of Weaver and Harris, Weaver's attorney Gerry Spence made accusations of "criminal wrongdoing" against the agencies involved in the incident, in particular the FBI, the USMS, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), and the United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for Idaho.

Why did Vicki Weaver have a 4th child?

Vicki Weaver developed a set of beliefs following Old Covenant Laws, and the family referred to God as " Yahweh ". Because Weaver considered a woman having a child to be "unclean", she gave birth to her fourth child in a shed behind the family's cabin on Ruby Ridge.

How much money did Randy Weaver get for his daughters?

In August 1995, the US government avoided trial on a civil lawsuit filed by the Weavers by awarding the three surviving daughters $1,000,000 each, and Randy Weaver $100,000 over the deaths of Sammy and Vicki Weaver.

Where did Randy Weaver marry Victoria Jordison?

A month after leaving the Army, Weaver and Victoria Jordison married in a ceremony at the First Congregational Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa in 1971. Randy found work at a local John Deere factory. Vicki worked first as a secretary and then as a homemaker.

When did the Ruby Ridge Rules of Engagement become law?

Controversy over the Ruby Ridge Rules of Engagement led to a standardization of deadly force policy among federal law enforcement agencies, implemented in October 1995 after the Ruby Ridge hearings by the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Government Information, Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

Who killed William Francis Degan?

In the subsequent siege of the Weaver residence, led by the FBI, Weaver's wife Vicki was shot and killed by an FBI sniper while standing in her home holding her 10-month-old daughter.

How long did the Weavers trial last?

Testimony began on April 12, 1993, and lasted two months. On three occasions evidence was withheld from the defense and revealed later. On the third occasion the judge required the government to pay the defense lawyers' fees for one day as formal punishment. Repeatedly, government witnesses had to retract sworn testimony that contradicted their previous statements. Witnesses called to describe the Weavers' religious and political views ended up, on cross-examination, praising them as a warm, caring, nonviolent family. Three weeks into the trial, Judge Edward Lodge told Spence, "As far as I can see, at least 75 percent of the prosecution witnesses thus far have helped the defense in this case."

Where was the Weaver home?

The single, undeniably true statement is the location of the home, which was located on an outcropping in the mountainous terrain of Boundary County. It was a simple, uninsulated, homebuilt cabin with plywood sides. It contained 14 guns of various sorts, not an unusual number for a home in that part of Idaho, especially for a family that obtained much of its food by hunting. None were automatic; some were as much as 70 years old. It also contained a library of books for the four Weaver children, and a large supply of dried and canned food under the house. It was the home of a family who were isolated by choice.

Who was the attorney that represented Randy Weaver?

The Weavers surrendered the next day following word from Gritz that famed defense attorney Gerry Spence had readily agreed to represent Weaver in his trial.

What was Randy Weaver's practice?

The presence of children complicated the Marshal's Service task, especially given Randy Weaver's practice of sending his gun-toting children out in front of him to greet strangers. By early 1992, the stand-off at Ruby Ridge attracted national notoriety.

What did Vicki and Randy do?

Vicki and Randy began to share with friends their plan of moving to a mountain top, as far as possible from false governments, desperate people, and hunters of good Christians like themselves. "We've been having this vision," Vicki would say. Vicki's search for "the truth" led her into libraries and bookstores .

How many children were there in the Weaver cabin?

The Weaver children now numbered four. In addition to Elisheba, there was Sara (age 15), Sammy (13), and Rachel (9). Kevin Harris, a teen with a troubled past who the Weavers had taken in, also spent months at a time in the Weaver cabin.

Where was Randy Weaver's cabin?

Trouble in Idaho. Weaver cabin on Ruby Ridge. On September 6, 1983, Randy and Vicki found a rocky bluff about eight miles southwest of Bonner's Ferry that was, according to Vicki, "just what the Lord showed" them their new home "would look like.".

Where did Randy and Vicki get their first child?

But Randy landed a well-paying job at a John Deere tractor factory in Waterloo and he and Vicki settled into a several year period of happy, and quite normal, domesticity. When their first child, Sara, was born in 1976, Vicki entered enthusiastically into motherhood.

What did Randy call the report of his alleged threat?

Randy called the report of his alleged threat "a smear campaign" and sent a letter to the Secret Service agent who interviewed him demanding an apology. In the mid-1980s, a racist right-wing movement based in northern Idaho and calling itself Aryan Nations became the focus of both FBI and BATF investigations.

What did Randy Weaver say after three months of trial?

Their tentacles were out - feeling, probing. "'I'm afraid I won't be able to make the kind or argument to you that Randy Weaver deserves,' I said. 'After nearly three months of trial, I'm afraid I won't measure up. I wish I were a better lawyer.'.

Where would Randy Weaver go?

Randy Weaver would willingly go to the penitentiary for the rest of his life if he could have his boy back. Randy Weaver would go to the penitentiary for the rest of his life. . . if he could have Vicki back.

Why was Vicki killed?

He accused the government of a cover-up and spun out new theories—Vicki was murdered because they thought she was a witness at the roadblock. Degan’s own men shot him. He told a story about a talking swan and another about a boy who crushes a bird. Federal agents were “the Waco boys” and “the new Gestapo in America.”.

Who killed Randy Weaver's son?

marshals trespassed on Weaver’s land and killed his 14-year-old son, Sammy. The following day, FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi killed his wife, Vicki, as she was standing in the cabin doorway.

How much did the Justice Department pay for the Weaver family?

The Justice Department paid $3 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit from the Weaver family. But when Boundary County, Idaho filed criminal charges against Horiuchi, Barr sprang to action seeking immunity for FBI snipers.

What did Barr do to help the FBI?

Barr spent two weeks organizing former Attorneys General and others to support “an FBI sniper in defending against criminal charges in connection with the Ruby Ridge incident.”. Barr also “assisted in framing legal arguments advanced… in the district court and the subsequent appeal to the Ninth Circuit,” he told the committee.

What was Barr responsible for?

Barr was responsible for both the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, two federal agencies whose misconduct at Ruby Ridge “helped to weaken the bond of trust that must exist between ordinary Americans and our law enforcement agencies,” according to a 1995 Senate Judiciary Committee report.

How long did Barr serve as Attorney General?

That charitable work (for an FBI agent who already had a federally-paid law firm defending him) helped tamp down one of the biggest scandals during Barr’s time as Attorney General from 1991 to early 1993.

What is Barr's view on Mueller?

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Attorney General nominee William Barr have focused heavily on Barr’s views on Special Counsel Robert Mueller. But nobody is asking about Barr’s legal crusade for blanket immunity for federal agents who killed American citizens. Barr received a routine questionnaire from the Judiciary Committee asking him ...

Who spent the most time helping the disadvantaged?

Barr received a routine questionnaire from the Judiciary Committee asking him to disclose his past work including pro bono activities “serving the disadvantaged.”. The “disadvantaged” that Barr spent the most time helping was an FBI agent who slayed an Idaho mother holding her baby in 1992.

When did Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris start their trial?

The trial of Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris began in Boise on April 12 , 1993, in a packed courtroom. Security at the courthouse was upgraded; trouble was anticipated, and metal detectors, X-ray machines, and a number of federal marshals were evident.

Why was Weaver targeted by the agent?

Weaver, who never joined any of the targeted groups, was targeted by the agent because of the respect many of those involved in this lifestyle had for him. Slowly, Weaver began to trust the undercover Fadeley as a friend, and Fadeley saw this as an opportunity.

Where did Randy and Vicki live?

Randy married Vicki that same year, and the couple moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa, where Randy enrolled in Northern Iowa University. Randy eventually dropped out, due to lack of money to pay tuition, and he and Vicki worked a series of odd jobs to make ends meet.

Where was Randy Weaver born?

PART ONE – THE WEAVERS AND RUBY RIDGE. Randy Weaver was born in Villisca, Iowa, in 1948. He graduated from high school in 1966, enrolled in community college, and met his future wife, Vicki Jordison.

How many counts were there in the Weaver v. Harris case?

The case charged ten counts in all including the original weapon charge, and conspiracy to murder Federal Marshal William Degan. Howen, a man who did not like plea-bargain cases, even sought leave to seek the death penalty against Weaver and Harris, however the judge ruled that capital charges were unwarranted.

What did the weaver believe?

In the 1970s, following the latest Arab-Israeli war, the Weavers came to believe that the biblical doomsday prophecies were being fulfilled.

What happened during the FBI standoff?

During the standoff, drastic changes were made to the FBI’s standard rules of engagement. Normally, the “enemy” can only be fired upon if the shooter or other agents are in danger of bodily harm or death.

A Fugitive from Justice

• Some question the truth of these statements, and say government spokesmen used it to explain their conduct in the violent confrontation that broke out near the Weaver home on August 21, 1992. The single, undeniably true statement is the location of the home, which was located on an outcropping in the mountainous terrain of Boundary County. It was a...

See more on encyclopedia.com

A Gunfight in The Woods

Prosecution Witnesses Help The Defense

Suggestions For Further Reading