County Can Borrow For Standoff Probe Judge Denies Petition Requesting An End To Spending On Weaver Case
The 400 signatures Vernon Mace took to court Monday weren’t enough to stop Boundary County from borrowing $100,000 for its own investigation of the Randy Weaver standoff.
Mace, 62, told 1st District Court Judge James Michaud the investigation was a waste of taxpayer dollars. He wanted the judge to stop the county from spending the money.
Michaud denied the request.
“They (commissioners) acted within the law and have the power to do what they have done,” the judge said. “Whether it is a wise decision or unwise decision is not for this court to comment on.”
Mace, a longtime resident and retiree, argued the case against Boundary County Prosecutor Randall Day. Mace said the Weaver case has already gone to federal court and the incident was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Justice Department.
Another investigation by Boundary County would be redundant and useless, he said.
“Why should we even consider funding another go around? If there are special interest groups … who wish to see more frustrating and unproductive litigation take place, let them pay the bill,” he said.
“Better yet, send the bill to the office of the attorney general of the United States where it really belongs.”
The soft-spoken Mace said he did not expect to win the case. He just wanted commissioners to know he and hundreds of other residents who signed his petitions opposed spending more money on the Weaver case.
“I made my point. There is nothing else left to do,” Mace said.
Day defended borrowing the money.
“I agree with Mr. Mace that it is an injustice we have to spend this money, but we have three deaths that must be investigated,” Day said. “They may be homicide, they may be justified. We won’t know until we finish our investigation.”
U.S. Marshal William Degan was killed during the 1992 standoff along with Randy Weaver’s wife, Vicki, and his 14-year-old son, Sam.
The county does not budget money for major investigations. Instead, the commissioners approve funds when the need arises. That keeps tax assessments to a minimum, Day said.
“We have always used this procedure and it is not a blank check for us to proceed.”
Day and Sheriff Greg Sprungl have been interviewing those involved in the Weaver case, including FBI agents. Day has said he expects the investigation to be complete this summer.
No matter what Day decides about the deaths, Mace said, taxpayers are going to lose. If charges are brought against federal agents the case will go to federal court, not stay in Boundary County.
“This funding is a blank check that could become a tax burden that none of the taxpayers my age will live long enough to pay,” he said.