The U.S. government filed a motion Wednesday to drop charges against the four remaining defendants in the Bundy Ranch standoff case. Their trial was scheduled to begin Feb. 26.
Those four defendants are Dave Bundy, Mel Bundy, Joseph O'Shaughnessy and Jason Woods.
The U.S. Justice Department originally charged 19 people in the 2014 armed standoff with federal land agents over a cattle grazing dispute. Seven took plea deals, and four were found not guilty.
And earlier this year, a judge dismissed the charges against rancher Cliven Bundy, his two sons and supporter Ryan Payne after deciding the prosecution had violated their right to a fair trial by withholding evidence.
In its motion, the government said in light of the January dismissal, it was appropriate to drop the charges against the remaining defendants "in the interests of justice."
Prosecutors filed a separate motion Wednesday urging the judge to reconsider dismissing the charges against Cliven Bundy and others, calling the dismissal "unwarranted and unjust." Because the judge had dismissed those indictments with prejudice, the government is not allowed to seek a new trial on the same claims.
