St. Luke's files lawsuit against Ammon Bundy alleging harassment, defamation
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — St. Luke's has filed a lawsuit against Ammon Bundy and some of his supporters for harassment and disruption of services.
The lawsuit is in response to what the health system calls a "smear campaign" consisting of harassment, false statements and trespassing. St. Luke's claims the defendants incited a protest at a hospital in Boise, resulting in a lockdown that interfered with patient care.
This alleged harassment was triggered by a child protective services case in March. The defendants stated that St. Luke's had kidnapped a child and that they were running a "child trafficking ring subsidized by tax dollars," the lawsuit claims.
St. Luke's affirms that the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare intervened in that case out of fear for the infant's wellbeing after the parents wouldn't seek care for the infant.
“It is important for us to stand up to the bullying, intimidation and disruption, and the self-serving and menacing actions of these individuals, for the protection of our employees and patients, and to ensure our ability to serve our community,” said Chris Roth, president and CEO of St. Luke’s Health System.
The lawsuit lists Ammon Bundy and his campaign, Diego Rodriguez, Freedom Man Press and PAC, and the People's Rights Network as defendants.
St. Luke's claims that other hospital systems were harmed by the defendants as well.
The hospital system has requested a jury trial for eight individual counts against the defendants. They are asking for an injunction to remove the allegedly false accusations and to prevent the defendants from engaging in future harassment.
St. Luke's is also asking for a minimum of $50,000 in damages, plus attorney and court fees.
