Bribery vs. Integrity

While there is no author given for this blog spot this is a case that was of great interest to Charles. He won no popularity contests on Pine Ridge but he was bound and determined to see the law enforced on there.

http://justiceonthepineridge.blogspot.com/

Friday, April 29, 2005

Justice on the Pine Ridge

On April 18th 2005, a judge on the Pine Ridge Reservation stood before the tribal council answering to the charges of bribery. The bribe, a robe, was brought in by the attorney for the plaintiff ten minutes before the hearing. The case is on going, so the payment of the bribe cannot be discussed now. The attorney for the defense was the only one allowed to testify, but still, the judge was found guilty of inconsistencies unbecoming a judge. The judge was given a written reprimand and moved to the western area of the reservation. Many people think this should go to federal court as a felony.

This judge has written articles in the Black Hills Peoples News about the duties of the citizen to follow the law, I think, the judge should learn the law and ... follow the law.

Point two ... There is a case involving a German citizen trying to take trust land from an enrolled elder member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He is now homeless, living where he can. The German citizen did allow her husband a van with 300,000 miles. The good part is the van is tested and still runs. (We really don't know if a new one will last that long).

I was watching a movie the other day and there was a line that said in effect; we can live without firewood, we can live without food, but we cannot live without a future. What kind of future do the children see when people in high places are corrupt; people from other places steal the lands that are their homes? Is this justice?

Why are these two points on the same page?

The attorney for the German citizen is the one who gave the "gift" to the judge just ten minute before they were going for a hearing. Is this justice?