Shawna Cox Takes Witness Stand at Oregon Standoff Trial
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon standoff defendant Shawna Cox took the witness stand in her own defense, becoming emotional as jurors watched a video of the traffic stop that ended with the death of occupation spokesman Robert "LaVoy" Finicum.
In the video, Cox can be heard telling Finicum to "gun it" as they fled from an initial stop Jan. 26. Finicum later crashed into a snowbank and left the vehicle. Oregon State Police shot him as he reached toward the inside of his jacket, where he kept a handgun. Cox testified Thursday she didn't get out during the initial traffic stop because she heard gunfire and feared getting shot.
The Kanab, Utah, woman is one of seven defendants on trial for allegedly conspiring to prevent Interior Department employees from working at the Malheur National Wildlife near Burns, Oregon. The armed occupation of the refuge began Jan. 2 and lasted 41 days.