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Bundy standoff defendants to go to trial in 3 waves Tuesday Dec 13, 2016 at 5:30 PM By KEN RITTER Associated Press LAS VEGAS — A judge has set a trio of trials for 17 men accused of conspiring together in an armed standoff against federal agents near Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's property in April 2014. U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen, in a ruling on Monday, reversed the order proposed by federal prosecutors who wanted to try Bundy, sons Ammon and Ryan Bundy, and two other defendants first. Instead, they'll go last. The judge set trial to begin Feb. 6 in Las Vegas for six defendants the government has characterized as "followers and gunmen" and least responsible for planning the tense showdown that blocked a federal Bureau of Land Management round-up of Bundy cattle from public land. "It made no sense to keep the least culpable in custody the longest," Todd Leventhal, attorney for Orville Scott Drexler, said Tuesday. Drexler is in the Feb. 6 group, with co-defendants Gregory Burleson, Todd Engel, Ricky Lovelien, Eric Parker and Steven Stewart. Leventhal said he thought the judge may have been swayed by a request from Cliven Bundy, through his attorney Bret Whipple, to let other defendants stand trial first. "My client was concerned that all those people who were being tried with him were being taken away from their families," Whipple said Tuesday. Jury summonses have gone out saying the trial could take up to five months. Meanwhile, the defendants remain in federal custody in southern Nevada. Federal prosecutors allege the Bundy family patriarch, now 70, and his two sons led the conspiracy, obstruction, weapon, threat and assault offenses against federal officers. Santilli's lawyer, Chris Rasmussen, said his client wanted to be tried first and will challenge Leen's order. The judge said trial for six alleged "mid-level" standoff leaders and organizers will start 30 days after the second trial ends. They are Bundy sons Dave and Mel Bundy, and co-defendants Brian Cavalier, Micah McGuire, Joseph O'Shaughnessy and Jason Woods.