Editing Ruby Ridge standoff (section)

== Criminal charges ==
In 1997, Boundary County prosecutor Denise Woodbury indicted FBI HRT sniper [[Lon Horiuchi]] for [[manslaughter]] on state charges, just before the statute of limitations for this crime expired.<ref name=srhsur /><ref name=sispot /><ref name=lmtchfld>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d7VeAAAAIBAJ&pg=3944%2C1540657 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |last=Wiley |first=John K. |title=Charges filed in Ruby Ridge shootings |date=August 22, 1997 |page=1A}}</ref> She appointed a special prosecutor to conduct the case. But in 1998 the trial was removed to federal court because Horiuchi had been acting in the line of duty as a federal law enforcement officer. Judge Lodge quickly dismissed the case on grounds of [[Sovereign immunity in the United States|sovereign immunity]].<ref name=wsdnosr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wqteAAAAIBAJ&pg=4638%2C78577 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Weaver says dismissal's no surprise |date=May 16, 1998 |page=10A}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Nieves|first1=Evelyn|title=F.B.I. Agent Can Be Charged In Idaho Siege, Court Rules|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/06/us/fbi-agent-can-be-charged-in-idaho-siege-court-rules.html|access-date=July 23, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=June 6, 2001}}</ref>

The&nbsp;decision to dismiss charges was reversed (6–5) in 2001 by an ''en banc'' panel of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|Ninth Circuit]], which held that enough uncertainty about the facts of the case existed for Horiuchi to stand trial on state manslaughter charges.<ref name=IdahoVHoriuchi2>For the Appeals Court ruling on Horiuchi, see {{cite court|litigants=State of Idaho v. Lon T. Horiuchi [2]|vol=|reporter=|opinion=98-30149|pinpoint=|court=9th Cir.|date=June 5, 2001|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1430138.html |access-date= February 8, 2017|via=Findlaw.com}} Proceedings of December 20, 2000 to June 5, 2001; includes Special Rules of Engagement, and the dissent by Judge [[Alex Kozinski]].</ref><ref name=rrsly>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s7VeAAAAIBAJ&pg=2964%2C1431500 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |last=Kravets |first=David |title=Court: FBI shooter can be tried in Ruby Ridge slaying |date=June 6, 2001 |page=1A}}</ref><ref name=wvchrs>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s7VeAAAAIBAJ&pg=3488%2C1494054 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |last=Wilson |first=Mike |title=Weaver cheers appeals court's ruling |date=June 6, 2001 |page=9A}}</ref> Boundary County prosecutor Brett Benson, who had defeated Woodbury in the May&nbsp;2000 primary and won the November election,<ref name=bousher>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pWRWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6863%2C6964700 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Drumheller |first=Susan |title=Boundary sheriff loses to sergeant |date=November 8, 2000|page=A20}}</ref> decided to drop the case. He said he believed that it was unlikely the state could prove the criminal charges, and too much time had passed.<ref name=nlsharr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j49XAAAAIBAJ&pg=6059%2C1969588 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last1=Clouse |first1=Thomas |last2=Drumheller |first2=Susan |title=No last shot at Ruby Ridge |date=June 15, 2001 |page=A1}}</ref><ref name=pwdrpch>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vLVeAAAAIBAJ&pg=5938%2C4312395 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |last=Geranios |first=Nicholas K. |title=Prosecutor will drop charges against sniper |date=June 15, 2001 |page=1A}}</ref> He also believed his decision would enable the process of healing in the county. Attorney [[Stephen Yagman]], who had been appointed as the special prosecutor, said that he vehemently disagreed with the decision. He suggested that the case could still be prosecuted if the Boundary County prosecutor later changed again.<ref name="dismiss">{{Cite news|author=Verhovek, Sam Howe|date=June 15, 2001|title=F.B.I. Agent To Be Spared Prosecution in Shooting|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980CE2DA1731F936A25755C0A9679C8B63 |access-date= February 7, 2017|journal=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>