The Latest: Testimony over in Nevada ranch standoff trial

LAS VEGAS – The Latest on trial in U.S. District Court for six men accused of wielding weapons against federal agents during a 2014 standoff involving Nevada cattleman and states’ rights advocate Cliven Bundy (all times local):

12:55 p.m.

Testimony is over and closing arguments are scheduled Wednesday in the trial of six men accused of wielding weapons against federal agents during a 2014 standoff involving Nevada cattleman and states’ rights advocate Cliven Bundy.

Idaho resident Eric Parker, whose photo as an armed protester on a freeway overpass was widely seen, finished his testimony Monday in Las Vegas.

He was the only defendant to take the stand.

Gregory Burleson of Arizona, Richard Lovelien of Oklahoma, and Idaho residents Scott Drexler, Todd Engel and Steven Stewart declined to testify in their defence.

Their attorneys are expected to argue the government didn’t prove conspiracy, weapon and assault on a federal agent charges carrying the possibility of decades in federal prison.

Jurors heard during two months of testimony from nearly 40 prosecution witnesses, three defence witnesses and Parker.

____

7:35 a.m

Trial is nearing an end for six men accused of wielding weapons against federal agents during a 2014 standoff involving Nevada cattleman and states’ rights advocate Cliven Bundy.

Defendant Eric Parker, whose photo as an armed protester on a freeway overpass was widely seen, returns to the witness stand Monday for cross-examination.

Closing arguments could come as early as Tuesday.

The 33-year-old Parker is from Hailey, Idaho.

He acknowledged he lay prone on the pavement looking with an AK-47 style rifle through a seam in a concrete freeway barrier toward heavily armed federal Bureau of Land Management agents in a dry riverbed below.

He says he feared agents were going to shoot unarmed people protesting in the wash.

Parker also says he never had his finger on the trigger.