Hundreds of people are expected in John Day Saturday for an event organized by the widow of LaVoy Finicum.
Related: LaVoy Finicum's Widow Plans To Sue Law Enforcement
A year ago, Finicum was killed by law enforcement during the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation. A police investigation last year found the shooting was justified.
Jeanette Finicum says she organized the event independent of the families of Ammon and Ryan Bundy, who led last year’s occupation.
“This isn’t a Bundy event," she said. "This is an event that our family — the Finicum family — wanted to put on because we wanted to further the education of property rights and to discuss the constitution and learn more about state sovereignty.”
Members of the Bundy family will still attend, and many of their supporters will speak at the event.
The event is titled "The Meeting With LaVoy Finicum That Never Happened In Oregon." Finicum, the Bundys and several others were on their way to speak at a public meeting in John Day a year ago when Finicum was shot and the others were arrested.
Jeanette Finicum says she doesn’t want to see another occupation.
“I would not encourage it in any way," she said. "That is not what we’re here to do, and I wouldn’t want to be associated with it.”
Jeanette Finicum's lawyer, Brian Claypool, says he will soon file suit against state and federal law enforcement over Finicum's death.
