Judge issues protective order to conceal identities of other FBI agents, police in Finicum shooting case

A federal judge Wednesday ordered that the names be kept private of all law enforcement and FBI agents questioned or identified as witnesses in the investigation of an indicted FBI agent accused of concealing that he fired two gunshots during the stop of refuge occupier Robert "LaVoy" Finicum. U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones barred the defense lawyers for FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita from sharing government documents received as evidence. Astarita faces a five-count indictment charging him with making false statements and obstruction of justice. "Threats have been made against the officers and agents who were present when Finicum was shot. Their identities have not been released in order to protect their safety,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Maloney wrote in a motion seeking the protective order. Instead of redacting all their names from investigative reports before sharing the documents with Astarita's lawyers, the prosecutors asked for the order, citing a need "to protect the safety of law enforcement agents and officers and the integrity of ongoing law enforcement operations.''...more