Bundy, defendants to pay over $50 million in damages after lawsuit with St. Luke’s
By Cooper McCauley
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BOISE, Idaho (KIVI) — The jury has reached its decision in the civil case between controversial political activist Ammon Bundy and St. Luke’s Hospital in Meridian with a ruling in favor of the Idaho hospital.
The jury settled on a total of $26.5 million in compensatory damages and $25.8 million in punitive damages, surpassing the $16 million minimum St. Luke’s attorney Erik Stidham estimated would be fair in the case.
in damages after lawsuit with St. Luke’s Ammon Bundy at Ada County Courthouse Photo by: Doug Lock-Smith, Idaho News 6 By: Cooper McCauleyPosted at 7:24 PM, Jul 24, 2023 and last updated 11:01 AM, Jul 25, 2023 BOISE, Idaho — The jury has reached its decision in the civil case between controversial political activist Ammon Bundy and St. Luke’s Hospital in Meridian with a ruling in favor of the Idaho hospital.
The jury settled on a total of $26.5 million in compensatory damages and $25.8 million in punitive damages, surpassing the $16 million minimum St. Luke’s attorney Erik Stidham estimated would be fair in the case.
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“Taking legal action is not something we take lightly. But standing up to the threats, bullying, intimidation, disruption, and self-serving actions of the defendants was necessary. Inaction would have signaled that their menacing behavior was acceptable. Clearly, it is not, and the jury’s decision validates that fact,” said Chris Roth, president and CEO of St. Luke’s Health System.
Below is a list breaking down the defendants and the damages they owe:
Ammon Bundy: $6.2 million compensatory, $6.15 million punitive Diego Rodriguez: $7 million compensatory, $6.5 million punitive People’s Rights Network: $5.2 million compensatory, $5.2 million punitive Freedom Man Press / Freedom Man PAC: $6.55 compensatory, $6.5 million punitive Ammon Bundy for Governor: $1.55 million compensatory, $1.65 million punitive
The case relates to protests that Bundy and Diego Rodriguez helped orchestrate outside of St. Luke’s Hospital in March of 2022 and defamation on the part of Bundy and his network surrounding the situation. The demonstrations came as a response to the separation of Rodriguez’s grandchild from his family by police. Officers found the child in “imminent danger” after his family had been unresponsive to medical professionals reaching out to check on the infant’s potential malnourishment.
Bundy worked with others to organize protests outside of the hospital, drawing attention to what he believed to be a violation of parental rights. Bundy was arrested on March 12, 2022, for trespassing after refusing to leave the hospital grounds, igniting more protests from Bundy and his supporters which culminated in a hospital lockdown on March 15.
Prosecutors representing St. Luke’s say that the protests outside of the hospital presented a dangerous environment to employees and patients, and forced them to shut down some vital services.
The protests cost the hospital an estimated $1.5 million, including the cost of private security who were called in to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals and patients.
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