Pine Ridge Indian homicide cases get new scrutiny

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Pine Ridge Indian homicide cases get new scrutiny

The top federal prosecutor in South Dakota agrees to reexamine dozens of unsolved homicides, venturing into a long-running feud between the Oglala Lakota Nation and the FBI.

By Richard A. Serrano, Washington Bureau
August 8, 2012, 7:20 p.m.

PINE RIDGE INDIAN RESERVATION, S.D. — The top federal prosecutor in South Dakota, stepping into the middle of a bitter dispute between the Oglala Lakota Nation and the FBI, has reopened a series of unsolved murder cases that tribal leaders say the FBI has for too long ignored.

The homicides — shootings, stabbings and beatings, some stemming from a violent political uprising in the 1970s — have deeply frustrated residents because no arrests were ever made. Many no longer trust the FBI and believe that the bureau, with jurisdiction on federal lands, lost interest in Pine Ridge after two FBI agents died during the unrest here.

FBI officials, denying that they have forsaken this place of crushing poverty and a deadly history going back 130 years, said they had conducted their own review 12 years ago of many of the deaths but simply could not produce new arrests.

Now Brendan Johnson, the U.S. attorney for South Dakota, has moved squarely into the center of the conflict by agreeing to reexamine homicide cases from lists presented to him by tribal leaders. They include 45 unsolved murders and 11 other homicides that reservation officials said resulted in light prison sentences.



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-pine-ridge-20120809,0,246128.story

[russspeakeasy]

1. Over 50 years ago I helped a member of the clergy move

To The Pine Ridge reservation...God what a depressing place. I hope it has improved.

[prairierose]

6. No, it has not improved. It has really gotten worse in many ways...however,

there are some wonderful people working on community type projects themselves and trying to bring in alternative building and alternative energy and solar heating systems to improve life there. I keep hoping that this movement will spread on the rez as well as gardening since they do not have a grocery store there anymore.

[russspeakeasy]

7. I wish them the best. I have been in some foreign countries

that would be considered third world and the rez was worse. Right here in the good old USA. Pitiful..

[uppityperson]

2. About time. It was something in the 70's. Thanks for the notice, please keep us updated

if things come up. Thank you.

[riverwalker]

3. he is son of Sen. Tim Johnson (D)

good move Brendan, long overdue.

[scarletwoman]

4. This is good news. Thank you for posting it.

From the article:

In a large white cowboy hat, his long black hair hanging in braids, his voice low but firm, Poor Bear stood before the U.S. attorney and pleaded: "Just one case. Can't we solve at least one case?"

Yes. At least one case. That isn't too much to ask.

I note that there is no mention of the murder of Anna Mae Aquash, I suppose because she was not from Pine Ridge. Nonetheless, this is one I would dearly like to see resolved - even though I suspect it was done by members of AIM.

[arikara]

8. I'm curious as to why you think it was AIM that killed her?

I read about it years ago and most of the murders seemed to be executions by goons as I think I remember them being called, and aided and abetted by the FBI's. I remember how sickening and bizarre it was when the FBI cut off her hands. I guess in a horrifying way it perfectly illustrated the level of disrespect and hatred towards the people.

[scarletwoman]

10. It's very complicated. I'm not sure I could re-create for you all the various sources I've read over

the years about this. It's been many, many years since I did all my initial delving into this case.

The basic premise is this: At the time of Anna Mae's murder, COINTELPRO had been working for some time to break AIM apart. They did this by creating suspicion within AIM as to who was really with them, and who might be an infiltrator. Paranoia was stoked, accusations within the organization began to fly.

At one point, Anna Mae was called in by the FBI for questioning. They held her for some time, then released her without charges. Inevitably, rumors began to circulate around AIM that the real reason she had been called in was because she was a mole for the FBI and they were debriefing her and giving her further instructions. That was also why she was released. Remember, she was not a Lakota, she was from a tribe in Canada, the Mi'kmaq.

The truth is, I haven't followed this case for some time. Upon googling her name, I came upon this Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Mae_Aquash

It turns out, two AIM members were already convicted of her murder in 2003. So I was wrong to call for more investigation into her murder, but correct in my assertion that she was murdered by AIM. I'm getting old, I should have remembered those convictions. In my defense, all I can say is that in 2003 I was completely focused on protesting the Iraq War and little else.

[villager]

9. Jim Page's Anna Mae Aquash song:

[XemaSab]

5. I've heard it's more dangerous there than most inner cities