Excerpts from the Testimony of David Hunt, Deputy Marshal
[from Ruby Ridge: The Truth and Tragedy of the Randy Weaver Family by Jess Walter]
(used with permission of the author)

Cross-examination by Defense Attorney Gerry Spence:

Spence:  "[Is it true that you wanted] “from the depths of your heart, to settle this without bloodshed?”
 
Hunt:  “I had promised the people in North Idaho that there wouldn’t be a confrontation, and I wasn’t going to allow it.”
 
Spence:  [Have you] "spent nights lying awake' [wondering whether the situation could have been resolved without a loss of life?]
 
Hunt: “That’s correct.”
 
Spence: [Are you] "torn up" [what happened?]
 
Hunt: “That’s correct.”
 
Spence: "And...you did everything to the best of your ability?”
 
Hunt: “That is correct. Even more than has been brought out.”
 
Spence: “There’s only so much you can do, isn’t that right, Officer?”
 
Hunt:  “Yes.”
 
Spence: ....“Well, it must have been quite a thing for you to see this man.. . a man of his principles, holed up on that mountain, wanting to be alone, while the streets of this country were crowded with dope dealers and thugs and murderers. Wasn’t that quite an interesting dilemma for you?”
 
Lindquist: “Objection.”
 
Spence: “You said you saw that Mr. Grider had short hair?” Spence asked.
 
Hunt: “Yes.”
 
Spence: “And his son had short hair?”  

Hunt:  “I believe I said a shaved head or very close cropped.”
 
Spence: “So we can understand how close, would it be any shorter or closer than Mr. Lindquist’s?”
 
Lindquist: “As long as the record can reflect my hereditary situation.”
 
Spence: “Shorter than Lindquist’s?”
 
Hunt: “No.”
 
Spence: “Now you recognize that Michael Jordan for example and George Foreman and Telly Savalas all have shaved heads?”
 
Hunt: “I guess I can recognize that.”
 
Spence: “You didn’t suggest that they open a risk-assessment file on Michael Jordan, did you?”
 
Lindquist: "Objection."
 
Spence: “How about Mr. Lindquist?”
 
Lindquist: "Objection.".
 
Spence: “Has Mr. Weaver ever said anything to you?”
 
Hunt: “He shot at me.”
 
Spence: “Well, we’ll see about that later”  

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