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Increase in Crime in the City of Billings, Montana
By Wyoming News
Analytical Introduction:
The City of Billings, https://www.billingsmt.gov, Montana, has seen a concerning rise in crime rates in recent years. As a growing urban center and the largest city in Montana, this issue demands immediate attention. In this article, we will outline some of the factors contributing to this increase in crime and propose potential solutions to help address this pressing issue.
- Soci-economic Factors:
One of the key factors influencing the rise in crime rates in Billings is the city’s socio-economic landscape. As economic disparities persist, certain neighborhoods are more susceptible to high crime rates due to limited access to education, job opportunities, and affordable housing. Addressing socio-economic inequalities through targeted initiatives like affordable housing programs, job training, and educational resources can contribute to crime prevention efforts. - Substance Abuse and Addiction:
Substance abuse and addiction have been identified as major drivers of criminal activity in Billings. The misuse of drugs, including opioids and methamphetamine, has had a direct impact on the prevalence of property crimes, assault, and other offenses. A multi-faceted approach involving increased access to addiction treatment, rehabilitation centers, and public awareness campaigns can help tackle this issue at its root. - Gang Activities:
The city has also experienced an upsurge in gang-related activities, leading to escalated violence and intimidation techniques. Empowering law enforcement agencies with specialized gang units and investing in community outreach programs, such as mentorship initiatives and after-school activities, can help deter at-risk youth from associating with gangs and reduce their influence. - Community Policing and Engagement:
Building trust between law enforcement agencies and the community they serve is crucial in combating crime effectively. Implementing community policing strategies, where officers develop relationships with residents and local businesses, can help foster cooperation and intelligence sharing. Additionally, encouraging citizen involvement through neighborhood watch programs and community-based initiatives can create a safer environment and deter criminal activities. - Enhanced Technology and Infrastructure:
Investing in advanced security technologies, such as surveillance cameras, smart street lighting, and improved infrastructure in high-crime areas, can aid in crime prevention. These measures not only act as deterrents but also provide valuable evidence for investigations, increasing the chances of criminal apprehension.
Conclusion:
Fighting the rise in crime rates in Billings, Montana, requires a comprehensive approach that addresses socio-economic factors, substance abuse, gang activities, community engagement, and infrastructure improvements. Implementing the proposed solutions, alongside cooperation between law enforcement, local government, and community organizations, can play a vital role in creating a safer and more secure city for all residents of Billings Montana. https://www.billingsmt.gov
Archeological Discoveries Confirm The David And Goliath Story
Twenty-eight charred olive pits cracked the archaeology case.
Remember the story of David using his slingshot to kill the Philistine giant Goliath? Archaeologists believe that they found where that happened and Israel has now turned the site into a national park.
The 3,000-year-old site is known by its modern name, Khirbet Qeiyafa, near Beit Shemesh southwest of Jerusalem. It overlooks the Elah Valley.
Lead archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel says 28 charred olive pits unearthed from 2007 to 2013 helped crack the mystery of the site’s age. His team used carbon-14 dating to figure out how old the olive pits were.
A Fortified City from King David’s Time
“This fortified city is the only archaeological site from the time of King David,” asserts Prof. Garfinkel, the Yigal Yadin chair of archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Cultic room at Khirbet Qeiyafa.
The ancient olive pits proved that the site now known as Khirbet Qeiyafa existed in the early 10th century BCE.
Archaeologists discovered the city’s two gates—a western one, which faced the Biblical city of Philistine Gath, and a southern one, which faced Judah. They connected the site of Khirbet Qeiyafa with the Biblical city of Sha’arayim, Hebrew for “two gates,” mentioned in the story of David and Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:52)
In a building near the southern gate, archaeologists excavated a group worship room. They uncovered two building models, one made from clay and the other carved in limestone. The latter proved the royal architecture that the Bible attributed to the palace and temple in Jerusalem was known in this region too.
Garfinkel codirected the excavations with Saar Ganor, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority and a student at Hebrew University.
Their team identified remnants of one building found as David’s palace and the other as a massive royal storeroom. A highly centralized administration apparently took nearly 100,000 tons of stones to construct.
Bible Text Proves Accurate
Garfinkel said Khirbet Qeiyafa clearly shows that the Biblical text preserves historical memories.
Before King David’s rule, residents dwelled in small farming, tribal communities. Those areas turned into urban centers around the 10th century BCE.
Khirbet Qeiyafa Ostracon.
“Our site indicates a social change in the time of David. We have evidence there was a process of urbanism, and that the Biblical tradition is accurate,” says Garfinkel. “We understand now how the period of David looked.”
Khirbet Qeiyafa displays the urban planning typical of other cities in the Judean kingdom, indicating a centralized state was in place in the days of King David.
Archaeologists turned up clues like pottery imported from Cyprus and objects imported from Jordan and Egypt that probably contained perfume or medicine. “This means the city was strong from an economic point of view,” according to Garfinkel.
Further evidence of an ancient civilization’s activity included thousands of sheep, goat, cow and fish bones. Casemate walls—double walls with transverse walls separating the space between them into chambers—reflected the urban planning typical of the times.
Archaeologists, students and volunteers devoted long hours to seven seasons of excavations. For six weeks each summer, they would awaken at 4 AM to drive to the site in the dark, then begin work at sunrise, with a 7 AM break for coffee and cake. They kept going until temperatures peaked at 1 PM.
Afternoons were reserved for lunch and naps. At 4 PM everyone would regroup to wash and discuss objects they had found, then enjoy dinner and a lecture.
Dig This: Museums Display King David-Era Artifacts
Major artifacts they unearthed are on display at the Israel Museum and Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem, including shrine models, holy relics and evidence of perhaps the oldest Hebrew writing ever discovered.
Garfinkel notes that the Elah Valley was of strategic importance in King David’s time, as a corridor from the coastline up through the center of Judah and its stronghold cities of Hebron and Jerusalem.
His dig helped preserve history for generations to come. Garfinkel successfully lobbied for the 500-hectare (1,200-acre) site to become a national park instead of a new neighborhood.
“This is my greatest achievement in life,” he marvels. “I helped save the Elah Valley.”
About Author: Rivka Ronda Robinson
Rivka Ronda Robinson believes in the power of personal stories. An author and journalist, she has a passion for writing about inspirational people, Judaism, spirituality, travel, wellness and environmental health. A member of the Authors Guild, she lives in Atlanta
This article was originally publish August 14, 2023 by Aish.com The Wyoming News republished this article with permission from Aish.com
Liberal Democrat School District Denies Equal Access To Bible Club
| HAYWARD, CA – Liberty Counsel has sent a demand letter to Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) and its superintendent, Dr. Jason Reimann, for discriminating against Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) by not allowing its Good News Club to meet on the Fairview Elementary School campus while allowing other clubs to meet. Since January 2023, CEF has requested three distinct times to resume holding the after-school club in an available classroom, but HUSD has denied all three requests without explanation. On August 21, 2023, Liberty Counsel sent the demand letter to the school district detailing the facts, policies, and laws that do not permit the district to deny CEF’s use of school facilities. In the letter, Liberty Counsel advised the school district to respond by August 31, 2023 to avoid further legal action. The school district did not respond to Liberty Counsel’s letter within the requested 10-day period, nor has it responded to this date. HUSD previously allowed CEF to host a Good News Club at Fairview Elementary for numerous years before COVID caused the cancelation of all clubs in Spring 2020. After each of the school district’s denials to resume the Good News Club, district officials failed to respond to repeated correspondence from CEF. The district permits other similar clubs, including Girl Scouts and Girls on the Run, to meet directly after school on campus. |
| In July 2023, CEF Rhode Island and its Good News Clubs prevailed in Liberty Counsel’s lawsuit against the Providence Public School District which repeatedly ignored CEF’s applications to host Good News Clubs on its campuses. A federal district court ruled the school district discriminated against CEF by not allowing the Good News Clubs while allowing other clubs to meet. As a result of the victory, the Providence Public School District is permanently mandated to treat the Good News Clubs “on an equal basis with similarly situated organizations, such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Girls on the Run.” The Court declared that Christian clubs are entitled to equal access “on the same terms” as other after-school clubs. In June 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court in Good News Club v. Milford Central School ruled that public schools violate the First Amendment by not providing equal access and equal treatment to Christian clubs when the school has opened the forum to secular clubs, as in this case. CEF Rhode Island is a Christian non-profit organization and a subsidiary of Child Evangelism Fellowship Inc., an international non-profit worldwide children’s ministry. CEF Good News Clubs positively impact the lives of children and their families. Good News Clubs typically meet once per week, immediately after school, and are led by trained and vetted local community volunteers. The clubs provide religious and other teaching and activities to encourage learning, spiritual growth, and service to others, as well as social, emotional, character, and leadership development. Good News Clubs do not charge any fee and welcome children, regardless of religious belief, with written permission from parents. There are currently more than 4,800 Good News Clubs in public elementary and middle schools across the United States. Liberty Counsel has represented approximately 200 CEF cases nationally and has never lost a case involving Good News Clubs. Liberty Counsel is a public law firm and a news partner with Wyoming News and Montana News. |
Hunter Biden and his father Joe Biden’s days of freedom may be coming to an end
Joe Biden and Hunter Biden’s days being free men are more than likely numbered, as criminal charges are looming for both men.
Evidence shows that Hunter Bidne’s former associates, who turned on him, provided evidence and damaging testimony against Hunter Biden and evidence that foreign actors paid off Joe Biden and his family to forward the best interest of foreign governments.
According to GOP lawmakers, “undeniable evidence of corruption exists.”
Evidence shows that Hunter, his father, and extended family members operate out of the White House, a corruption enterprise that enriched the pockets of the Biden family at the expense of the United States.
Soon, Hunter Biden will face charges with felony gun offenses, tax fraud, and violations dealing with the Foreign Agents Registration Act, all of which are high felonies, not to mention that Hunter is and will face being subpoenaed by the House GOP.
Hunter’s father, Joe Biden, will soon face a criminal impeachment. According to Speaker McCarthy, he stated that “By doing this, it gives Congress an apex of legal powers,” forcing the two habitual liners, Joe Biden and Hunters Biden, to provide the information.
The House Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means Committees will authorized and deputized to handle the investigations into the Biden Crime family operations and uncover the role of the Biden financial “pay to play” in their criminal enterprise.
Evidence gathered from Twitter revealed that an overwhelming amount of corruption showed that Joe Biden heavily participated in and directed the family’s influence-peddling criminal schemes.
In a press conference, Joe Biden said he hired Chicago attorney Ed Siskel as his Top White House lawyer. He is the same scumbag in the Obama administration during the Benghazi and the fast and furious scandals.
The criminal activity of the Democrats shit is about to hit the fan, and the backflow will more than likely bring in the name of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The saying “crime does not pay.” sure is fitting.
It’s coming, be prepared Joe Biden and Hunter Biden!!
Texas Supreme Court Let’s Medical Mutilation Ban take Effect
| AUSTIN, TEXAS – Yesterday, the Texas Supreme Court allowed the state’s new law banning harmful puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and mutilating surgeries for children to take effect during continued litigation. The law, known as SB 14, was set to take effect today after it was enacted June 2, 2023, but a district court judge temporarily blocked it last month granting opponents of the law an emergency stay citing potential violations of the state constitution. However, state officials appealed the decision prompting the state’s High Court to deny the emergency stay and let the law take effect while the Court fully considers the appeal. The Texas Supreme Court only stated, “…emergency motion for temporary relief denied.” |
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| In addition to banning irreversible procedures, such as sterilization or removing health body parts, Texas’ law also bans the use of taxpayer dollars for these procedures and prevents health insurance plans from covering these costs as well. Under the law, doctors who commit violations can have their medical licenses revoked. Yesterday’s ruling made Texas the largest state to have an effective ban in place for these procedures on minors. This ruling also follows a succession of decisions in recent months regarding these types of laws. The U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled on August 21, 2023, that Alabama can fully enforce its 2022 law after a lower court temporarily blocked the state from enforcing portions of the law pertaining to puberty blockers and hormones. In July 2023, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on two different occasions that the “Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act” in Tennessee and Kentucky could go into effect. At least 22 states have enacted legislation protecting children from harmful and often irreversible medical mutilation. Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “There is no constitutional right to mutilate children. Puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and mutilating surgeries are harmful and often irreversible. The Texas Supreme Court has rightly decided to let the state of Texas protect children from these horrible procedures that devastate many lives.” |
Study Reveals Face Masks Contain Dangerous Amounts of Toxins
| WASHINGTON, D.C. – A recent study revealed that disposable face masks, including medical-grade N95 masks, released eight times the recommended U.S. limit of toxic volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). Inhaling TVOCs has been linkedto health issues like headaches and nausea, while prolonged and repeated exposure has been linked to organ damage and even cancer. “Measuring the Quantity of Harmful Volatile Organic Compounds Inhaled Through Masks” was published in April and shared by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers from Jeonbuk National University in South Korea looked at two types of disposable medical-grade KF94 masks made of polypropylene and polyurethane nylon as well as several reusable cotton masks. KF94 are the South Korean equivalent of the KN95 masks used in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends keeping TVOC levels below 0.5 parts per million in indoor air. The mask sample with the highest amount of TVOCs had 4,808 cubic meters per microgram, which is about 4.8 parts per million. That means more than eight times the recommended limit. According to the American Lung Association, TVOCs have been shown to irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, cause difficulty breathing and nausea, and damage the central nervous system and organs like the liver. Other types of products that release TVOCs are paint, caulks, cleaners/disinfectants, pesticides, and even tobacco smoke. |
| Another new study by German researchers has concluded that wearing face masks can cause carbon dioxide poisoning when worn even for short periods and may have contributed significantly to stillbirths, testicular dysfunction, cognitive decline in children, among other destructive health issues. The research, published in the journal Heliyon, comprises a review of 43 previously published studies and notes that even short-term exposure to concentrations of carbon dioxide as low as 0.3 percent caused brain damage, increased anxiety, and impaired memory in both pregnant rats and young mice in one study. In another, when male mice were exposed to 2.5 percent carbon dioxide for four hours, testicular cells and sperm were destroyed. The equivalent amount for humans would be 0.5 percent of carbon dioxide over the same time period. Another study discovered that stillbirth and birth defects occurred in pregnant rats that were exposed to just three percent carbon dioxide, which would be equal to 0.8 percent for humans. The study also points to research that found just five minutes of mask wearing resulted in carbon dioxide levels increasing to between 1.4 percent and 3.2 percent. In addition, there are hundreds of scientific studies and medical articles that confirm that wearing face masks are not effective at reducing the transmission of COVID-19 and are harmful to people’s health in at least 68 ways. |
The Next Ruby Ridge
WrittenBy Marc Kelley A year has now passed since FBI Director Christopher Wray spent his day answering questions before The Senate Judiciary Committee and speaking about his ideas on curbing the increase in violent crime sweeping across America. During the questioning Texas Senator Ted Cruz unveiled internal FBI training material which had been leaked by a “whistleblower”, and voiced his concern these documents are being used by the FBI to label U.S. citizens as “Militia Violent Extremists” (MVE’s). During his time, Senator Cruz asked Director Wray “What are y’all doing, do you honestly believe these historic American symbols represent Militia Violent Extremists.” With an answer which should come as a surprise to no one, Director Wray claimed to be “unfamiliar” with the documents Senator Cruz displayed; and as such, “makes a practice of not commenting on documents with which he was not familiar.” When pressed further by Senator Cruz, the dog and pony show continued, in typical political jibber jabber, Director Wray promised to look into the matter, to get to the bottom, and to find the truth. However, given the behavior of the FBI and its long and sordid history of having trouble distinguishing truth from fiction, a great many Americans believe, finding the truth was the last thing on Director Wray’s mind. Now that another year has passed can anyone tell me what we have learned from the FBI? |
| On the twenty-first of this month, our country will mark the 31st anniversary of the eleven day FBI siege at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. This event ended in tragedy and will forever remain as a stain on the reputation of the U.S. Governmental agencies involved. Those individuals who lost their lives in the mountains of Idaho include: U.S. Deputy Marshal W.F. Degan, Vicki Weaver, the Weavers’s fourteen year old son Sammy and his dog Striker. What follows is a true, albeit ugly story, backed up by the findings of the U.S. Senate’s Judiciary Committee during their investigation into how Randy Weaver became a target of the U.S. Government and how once in their sights, set in motion a series of events filled with deceptions, omissions and lies. |
| The FBI was not always the FBI; in fact, in its infancy the nation’s top law enforcement agency underwent many changes. In 1896 politician’s began to speak of perceived threats against the U.S. Government itself, as an “existential threat” to our democracy. It was this perception which drove the establishment of a new crime fighting agency called the National Bureau of Criminal Identification. The task of this agency was strictly limited to gathering intelligence and compiling files on known criminals. This system remained in place until September 6, 1901, when William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, was assassinated by a blue collar, working-class man who truly believed his own Government was creating the great injustice in American society which allowed the ruling class to enrich themselves by exploiting the poor. This act in and of itself, fueled the already common belief, that the United States Government was under attack by anarchists seeking to change the social direction and ideology of the United States. Following the assassination of President McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th President and vowed to quash the Anarchist movement. Roosevelt instructed then Attorney General Charles Bonaparte to organize an investigative service who would have vast autonomy and answer only to the U.S. Attorney General himself. Bonaparte initially recruited thirty-four individuals, including several members of the Secret Service, who would act as Special Agents and report to the “Chief” (The Director), of the newly formed Bureau of Investigation. In turn, the Chief would report directly to the U.S. Attorney General; thereby, establishing the story the newly formed agency would serve the people of the United States and remain free of political influence. |
| Randy Weaver was a Ret. U.S. Special Forces Green Beret who moved his wife and their four children to the mountains of Idaho in the 1980’s. The Weaver’s believed home schooling their children and insulating them from a world they perceived as corrupt, was the only way to preserve the values, morals, and freedoms in which they believed. The move came shortly after Vicki Weaver (Randy’s wife), a devout Christian woman, began experiencing recurrent dreams of the family living on a mountain top to escape what she believed would be the “apocalypse” as described in the Bible’s, Book of Revelations. Vicki believed the corruption In Washington D.C. had become so ingrained in our system, that our political leaders no longer served We the People, but rather had become, “Servants of the Queen of Babylon.” |
| Wanting nothing more than to be left alone and to raise their children, the Weaver’s socialized very little; yet somehow, managed to come into contact with an ATF informant named Rico Valentino. Valentino, a former WWE wrestler who portrayed himself as a gay hairstylist during his wrestling career, used his celebrity and homophobic persona to curry favor with a group of white supremacists living in Hayden Lake, Idaho. Valentino had begun working with the AFT sometime in the late 1980’s and was providing information on an Aryan Nation group operating in Idaho and known to have weaponry which was of interest to the ATF. It would be this chance encounter which would lead the ATF to attempt to recruit Randy Weaver as an additional informant. When Weaver refused, the ATF increased their focus on Weaver, believing his military training earned him additional scrutiny. Over the next three years Weaver had multiple conversations with Rico Valentino in which Valentino repeatedly asked to buy “sawed off shotguns” from Weaver. Finally, in July of 1989, Randy Weaver did in fact provide two sawed off shotguns to Valentino and was paid $ 300.00 for each. Valentino, who was wearing a wire at the time, gave a statement in which he indicated the ATF knew of the transaction as it occurred. Interestingly, no charges were filed at the time and interactions between Weaver and Valentino suddenly stopped. In 1990 Weaver was again approached by ATF Agents. This time the sawed off shotgun sale would be used as leverage by the ATF to attempt to force Weaver into becoming an informant. When Weaver again refused, the ATF filed charges against Weaver and in a sworn affidavit, asserted, “Weaver was a known bank robber with multiple criminal convictions.” It would take until the 1995 U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation for the U.S. Government to admit Randy Weaver had no previous criminal record. |
| Formal documents presented to the 1996 U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, cite a 1984 dispute over a three thousand dollar land deal with the Weaver’s neighbor, Terry Kinnison, and the ensuing Civil Lawsuit, as the catalyst for the event we now call Ruby Ridge. After losing the lawsuit, Weaver’s aggrieved neighbor wrote a letter to The FBI, The U.S. Secret Service, and The Boundary County Sheriff, alleging Randy Weaver had “ threatened to kill: Pope John Paul II, then President Ronald Reagan, and Idaho Governor John V. Evans. Even though no corroborating evidence was found verifying these threats, Randy Weaver had now become a person of interest to multiple agencies including: The ATF, FBI, and U.S. Marshalls Service. |
| Internal ATF documents spelled out their belief, it would be “too dangerous” to arrest Weaver at his home and they developed a plan to use undercover agents posing as stranded motorists with vehicle problems and stranded on the road, just outside of the Weaver property boundary. When the vehicle was noticed by the Weaver’s, they approached in their own vehicle and offered their help. The ATF arrested Weaver on the spot and when released on bail he was told his trial would begin February 19, 1991. In what we are to believe was a series of clerical errors and individual oversights, Randy Weaver’s trial date of February 19, 1991 was canceled and rescheduled for February 20,1991. Unbeknownst of the change, Weaver failed to appear on February 20, 1991 and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. |
| On March 14, 1992 Randy Weaver’s case was transferred from the ATF to the U.S. Marshall’s Service, as the Marshal’s are the law enforcement agency of the Federal Court. Several attempts by the Marshal’s Service to get Weaver to surrender peacefully failed as he refused to leave his cabin. Weaver had become increasingly suspicious of the Government and when he was told by his court appointed attorney, if he lost his case “ the government would seize his land, leaving his wife homeless and having no place to live, his children would be placed in foster care”. When Randy Weaver learned of this information the odds he would negotiate with U.S. Government official’s became slim to none. Weaver did agree to negotiate through a third party and just as some progress was being made, the process was cut short by U.S. Assistant Attorney Ron Howen when he gave the order the third party negotiations must cease, and all further communications be held through his negotiator. Viewing this move as just another government ploy, Weaver believed this action was yet another promise broken by the government and stopped all communication. |
| Beginning in early February, 1991, the U.S. Marshals began surveillance on the Weaver home with the intention of establishing a “Psychological Threat Profile” on Randy Weaver. Again, only through the investigation conducted by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, were the true facts learned. Assumptions made by the U.S. Marshals included: “Weaver was a former Green Beret who would shoot on sight, anyone attempting to arrest him. Weaver had collected certain types of arms, though no identification of the types of arms was disclosed. Weaver had employed booby traps on his property to create a defensive position. Weaver had dug escape tunnels throughout his property.” The government’s psychological profile characterized Weaver as an “extreme threat”, setting into motion a mindset fueled by group think. Again it would take the Congressional investigation to learn the truth about the “threat assessment.” Through questioning by Senator Dianne Feinstein, it was learned the person in charge of building the profile had no first hand knowledge of Randy Weaver, had never attempted to talk with him, and was so unfamiliar with the case, his reference to the subject throughout his assessment was limited to the name Mr. Randall. |
| The incident at Ruby Ridge had now caught the attention of the media and on April 18, 1991, Geraldo Rivera, sent a team of producers to fly a helicopter over the Weaver property, seeking to record live television footage. Reports from the media were given to the U.S. Marshals stating their helicopter had been fired upon by Weaver. Even though the pilot of the helicopter signed an affidavit stating “his helicopter was never fired upon”. Rivera’s false reporting combined with his ego and lack of journalistic ethic drove the narrative which became the justification to charge Randy Weaver with Conspiracy Against The Federal Government. On August 21,1991 six U.S. Marshals dressed in camouflage, armed with M16’s and Colt 9mm Sub-machine guns engaged in a gunfight with fourteen year old Sammy Weaver, killing the boy and his dog Striker. Also killed in this initial exchange was Deputy U.S. Marshal William “Bill” Degan who was struck in the chest by a 30.06 round fired by Weaver’s friend Kevin Harris. |
| Following the initial gunfight the U.S. Marshals requested back-up from both local law enforcement, as well as the FBI. By Saturday August 22, 1991, the FBI and Marshals service had drawn up “special rules of engagement” to be implemented at Ruby Ridge. The forces deployed during the day of August 22, included FBI Hostage Rescue Teams, as well as sniper teams. Before the FBI negotiators had arrived at the Weaver cabin, FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi spotted Randy Weaver. Interpreting the agreed upon “rules of engagement” as a “shoot on sight order”, Horiuchi fired a single round from his 308 rifle, striking Randy Weaver in the back. Horiuchi then fired a second round which struck Kevin Harris in the chest and when it exited his body, struck Vicki Weaver in the head, killing her instantly as she held her 10 month old daughter. |
| On August 23, 1991, communication with Weaver was once again attempted but would fail as a result of Weaver’s lack of trust in the government agents attempting to communicate with him. The siege would not end until August 30, 1991, when civilian negotiators including James “Bo” Gritz, a retired former Special Forces, Lt. Colonel and likely the only person on earth Randy Weaver would trust with his life, begged Weaver to “end the bloodshed and his personal suffering.” Weaver agreed to surrender only if Col. Gritz would oversee the removal of the bodies of his son and wife, which Col Gritz immediately promised to do. Both Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris were removed from the Ruby Ridge cabin and flown to Sacred Heart Medical Center. Weaver’s three daughters were released into the custody of relatives and faced no charges.Both Weaver and Harris were charged with a host of crimes by the Federal Government, and their trial began in April of 1993. Weaver was represented by Gerry Spence, who rested his case in mid June without calling a single witness for the defense of Randy Weaver. Observers present throughout the trial told countless reporters, Spence took the government case apart piece by piece, discrediting the government’s evidence, as well as each of their witnesses. Randy Weaver was acquitted on all charges with the exception of missing his original court date and violating the conditions of his bail. Weaver was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined $10,000.00. Ultimately he served 16 months with time off for good behavior. Kevin Harris was represented by Attorney David Nevin an ACLU Lawyer, was also acquitted of all charges. In an act seen by many as nothing short of a vindictive abuse of power, the U.S. Government structured Weaver’s release to include the provision he would never be allowed to profit from telling the story of Ruby Ridge. After Weaver wrote a book titled: “The Federal Siege at Ruby Ridge: In our Own Words. The U.S. Government through the IRS prevented Weaver from selling his story. Left without any means of making money, Weaver would begin each day by loading cases of his book into his car and driving to a local Bar / Cafe in Kalispell, Montana. Weaver would sit for hours speaking to anyone who came to meet the man and hear his story. Weaver would not violate the order preventing him from profiting from telling his story; but rather, would give a signed copy to anyone who chose to leave money on the bar to pay for his dinner.Ruby Ridge and Randy Weaver have become symbols of the heavy hand of a government, hell bent on first finding a target and then finding the crime. This week as we remember Ruby Ridge, the Government would have us believe they acted in accordance with the law, and no one is above that law. When you contrast this ideology with the words and actions of the FBI today, we are left with far more questions than answers. As Senator Ted Cruz asked FBI Director Christopher Wray, “what are y’all doing”, he misses the big picture concept. The real question which should be asked is, given the hostile view of some 70 million U.S. citizens by the Biden Administration’s Dept. of Justice: where and when will the next Ruby Ridge occur?So here we find ourselves thirty plus years after Ruby Ridge. In this time both Democrats and Republicans have held power, and as such, controlled the U.S. Department of Justice and more specifically the FBI. From its earliest infancy as the National Bureau of Criminal Identification the FBI has been nothing more than a weaponized arm of the Justice Department, seeking not the truth, but rather total control over anyone they deem to be an “extremist.” |
