Oregon standoff: 9 guilty pleas up ante for Ammon Bundy, 16 others

With six and a half weeks to go before the start of the first trial in the Oregon standoff case, nine of the 26 defendants have pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge.

Three of the nine were part of leader Ammon Bundy's inner circle. Two of those have negotiated, or are in the process of negotiating, a resolution to a federal indictment in Nevada as well.

The developments are not unusual in a complex conspiracy prosecution involving multiple defendants, but they likely "ratchet up the pressure'' on those defendants still holding out, legal observers say.

"This is proceeding in a very typical fashion,'' criminal defense lawyer Kevin Sali said.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/07/oregon_standoff_9_guilty_pleas.html