Idaho hospital wants Ammon Bundy held in contempt of court, at least $7.5M in damages

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — St. Luke’s Health System has filed paperwork asking an Ada County judge to consider holding far-right leader Ammon Bundy in contempt of court — again.

In court documents filed by Holland & Hart attorney Erik Stidham, St. Luke’s alleged that Bundy violated 4th District Judge Lynn Norton’s protective order by failing to remove “defamatory statements” on the People’s Rights Network — a far-right group started by Bundy — about St. Luke’s President and CEO Chris Roth.

“A finding of contempt is needed here as Bundy disregards and disrespects the court and continues to disrupt plaintiff’s lives and livelihoods,” according to the memorandum. “Absent a finding of contempt, there is no doubt that Bundy will continue to defy the court.”

During a contempt hearing on Tuesday, over 40 supporters of Bundy and the People’s Rights Network appeared — even though Bundy was nowhere to be found. Norton said the next best step would be to file a summons to force Bundy to appear in court.

The summons acts as a request of the court and carries more weight than a notice to appear. Stidham also plans to file additional paperwork related to the protective order violation. If Bundy appears in court once a summons is issued, then it’s possible that St. Luke’s could drop the contempt of court request.

“Our hope is that Mr. Bundy will actually start showing up,” Stidham said in court Tuesday.

Norton also issued an order allowing St. Luke’s to seek punitive damages that amount to at least $7.5 million. St. Luke’s and four other plaintiffs would each be able to seek $250,000 from each defendant: Bundy and his associate Diego Rodriguez; Freedom Man Press; Freedom Man PAC; the People’s Rights Network; and Bundy’s gubernatorial organization.

The lawsuit names St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, Roth and two other medical professionals as plaintiffs.

“St. Luke’s suffered significant economic damages in addition to the damages suffered by the individuals,” Stidham told the Idaho Statesman. “We intend to present evidence that the financial impact of this wrongdoing was ongoing and resulted in millions in economic damages.

In early 2022, local law enforcement agencies took the then-10-month-old grandson of Rodriguez to St. Luke’s Meridian over concerns about his welfare. Bundy led protests outside St. Luke’s hospitals in Meridian and Boise. A March protest outside of the Meridian hospital blocked the ambulance bay and forced ambulances to be diverted to other locations and hospitals, Owyhee County Prosecutor Chris Topmiller said.

Bundy was arrested and later, in a rare move, pleaded guilty to trespassing at the hospital in what he called a “peace offering.” He’s previously gone to trial twice for trespassing charges, in 2021 and 2022.

ST. LUKE’S SAYS BUNDY VIOLATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

Stidham in the memorandum alleged that Bundy violated a protective order by falsely posting on the People’s Rights Network that Roth is a criminal accessory of child abduction.

The protective order prohibits Bundy, Rodriguez and any of their organizations from threatening, intimidating, influencing, harassing, obstructing, or preventing any potential witnesses in the lawsuit from testifying along with anyone who has already testified. The St. Luke’s memorandum pointed out a March 12, Utah-based People’s Rights Network post, which included photos of Roth and other health care officials.

The photos, which looked like mock wanted posters, showed officials with their names, titles and fake criminal charges. Roth’s photo has now been altered and reads “censored pending litigation.”

A Feb. 10 video posted on both YouTube and the People’s Rights Network called St. Luke’s “unscrupulous,” but Bundy said he didn’t author the post and wasn’t even aware of it.

“We complied,” Bundy said. “(We) didn’t want to comply because I believe it’s free speech and I believe that … he was an accessory to child abduction.”

Stidham said St. Luke’s believes the People’s Rights Network continues to post information that violates Norton’s order.

“St. Luke’s is bringing this motion to try and stop Mr. Bundy’s efforts to derail the litigation with continuing and escalating threats and threats of violence,” Stidham said by phone.