Good morning, NUNAverse:
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in United States v. Cooley yesterday, and appears likely to allow tribal police officers to stop and search non-citizens on tribal lands. The Justices heard arguments in the Justice Department’s appeal of a lower court ruling that threw out evidence of drug-related crimes from the search of a non-Native motorist’s pickup truck by a tribal officer on a public road that crosses the Crow reservation in Montana. A decision is expected by late June.
Following AstraZeneca announcing encouraging news about the effectiveness of their COVID-19 vaccine, a group of medical experts charged with monitoring the company’s clinical trial made a highly unusual accusation: AstraZeneca had essentially cherry-picked data to make its vaccine look better. While AstraZeneca said on Monday that its vaccine appeared to be 79 percent effective at preventing Covid-19, the panel of independent experts said the actual number may have been between 69 percent and 74 percent.
Montana’s State Senate is moving forward with a bill to end same-day voter registration after it was endorsed 32-18 yesterday. The bill faces a third reading in the Senate and must return to the House for approval of an amendment that would make the law take effect immediately upon approval. Native lawmakers argued ending same-day voter registration will hurt their turnout because new voters could have to travel twice to elections offices that can be many miles away.
Human remains found on the Menominee Indian Reservation last week belong to Katelyn Kelley, who had been missing since June 2020, the Menominee Tribal Police Department announced Monday. Menominee Tribal Police, with assistance from the FBI, investigated remains found March 17 on the tribe’s reservation. In a statement posted on Facebook, the police department said an autopsy was performed on Monday and a positive identification was made.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Law:
Court Leans Toward Tribal Police In Traffic Stop And Search
AP News, Mark Sherman, March 23
The Supreme Court seemed likely Tuesday to allow tribal police officers to stop and search non-Indians on tribal lands over concerns that drunk drivers or even violent criminals might otherwise elude authorities. The justices heard arguments in the Justice Department’s appeal of a lower court ruling that threw out evidence of drug-related crimes from the search of a non-Native motorist’s pickup truck by a tribal officer on a public road that crosses the Crow reservation in Montana. The case involves a traffic stop in 2016 in which Officer James Saylor of the Crow Tribe Police Department came upon a pickup truck with its headlights on and motor running, parked on the shoulder of U.S. Route 212.
Supreme Court Wrestles With Complex Questions Of Tribal Power Arising From Late-night Traffic Stop
USA Today, John Fritze, March 23
The Supreme Court on Tuesday wrestled with a dispute over when Native American police officers may detain non-Native suspects, delving into thorny issues of tribal sovereignty that have vexed the federal government for generations. The case arrives at the nation’s highest court a year after the justices found that the eastern half of Oklahoma is Native American territory. That suit concerned an appeal from a Native American who claimed his state rape conviction from 1997 should be overturned because Oklahoma lacked jurisdiction.
Supreme Court Hears Another Sovereignty Case
Indian Country Today, Kolby KickingWoman, March 23
For the first time since the start of the October 2020 term, the Supreme Court is set to hear an Indian Country case Tuesday morning. At issue in the case, United States v. Cooley, is whether evidence found by a tribal police officer was lawfully obtained. The case came from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit where the panel of judges affirmed a lower court ruling that the search was unlawful. At approximately 1 a.m. Joshua James Cooley and his child were parked on the shoulder of Highway 212 within the Crow Indian Reservation boundaries in southeastern Montana, according to court documents.
Montana Senate Moves Bill To End Same-Day Voter Registration
AP News, March 22
Montana’s Senate is moving forward with a bill to end same-day voter registration. The bill to close voter registration at noon on the Monday prior to a primary or general election day was endorsed 32-18 on second reading Tuesday. It faces third reading in the Senate and must return to the House for approval of an amendment that would make the law take effect immediately upon approval. Native American lawmakers argued ending same-day voter registration will hurt their turnout because new voters could have to travel twice to elections offices that can be many miles away.
COVID-19:
U.S. Health Officials Question AstraZeneca Vaccine Trial Results
New York Times, Rebecca Robbins, Noah Weiland, Sharon LaFraniere, Benjamin Mueller, March 23
Only hours after AstraZeneca announced encouraging news about the effectiveness of its Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, a group of medical experts charged with monitoring the company’s clinical trial made a highly unusual accusation: AstraZeneca had essentially cherry-picked data to make its vaccine look better.
Cherokee Nation Hosts Candlelight Memorial To Honor Citizens Lost To Covid-19
Native News Online, March 23
Last Thursday, March 18, marked the one-year anniversary of the loss of the first Cherokee citizen and Oklahoman, Merle Dry, who passed away from Covid-19. To mark the anniversary and show honor to Dry and the additional 106 Cherokee citizens lost to the deadly coronavirus, the Cherokee Nation held a candlelight memorial at the tribe’s W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah, Okla. The memorial included 107 candles in honor of Dry and the 106 lives lost in the Cherokee Nation health system since the Covid-19 pandemic began. There were also five empty chairs reserved during the memorial for Cherokee Nation employees lost to the virus.
Casinos:
Have Seattle Sounders, Native American Tribe Opened New Door To MLS Sports Betting Partnerships?
Forbes, Ian Nicholas Quillen, March 23
As North American pro sports teams continue to reckon with allegations of racism surrounding Native American-inspired nicknames and iconography, the Seattle Sounders — in a way — are going against the grain. The Sounders on Tuesday announced that the Emerald Queen Casino, operated by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians in two Washington state locations, as the club’s new official “casino and entertainment partner.” Included in the seven-year agreement is a jersey sleeve sponsorship. The Sounders will feature the Emerald Queen Casino logo on their primary jersey and, more interestingly, the Puyallup Tribe emblem on their secondary kit.
Other:
Why Is Biden Halting Federal Oil And Gas Sales?
AP News, Matthew Brown, March 23
President Joe Biden shut down oil and gas lease sales from the nation’s vast public lands and waters in his first days in office, citing worries about climate change. Now his administration has to figure out what to do with the multibillion-dollar program without crushing a significant sector of the U.S. economy — and while fending off sharp criticism from congressional Republicans and the oil industry. The leasing ban is only temporary, although officials have declined to say how long it will last. And it’s unclear how much legal authority the government has to stop drilling on about 23 million acres (9 million hectares) previously leased to energy companies. Interior officials say the fossil fuel program has failed to consider climate impacts and that irresponsible leasing practices carve up wildlife habitat, threaten Native American cultural and sacred sites and lock up public lands that could be used for recreation or conservation.
‘A Sea Of Red’: Vigil Held For Missing Indigenous Man In Northern California
Native News Online, Jenna Kunze, March 23
More than 150 people gathered last Saturday at a federal district court house on Bechelli Lane, creating a sea of red clothing, to stand in solidarity with Missing and Murdered Indigenous People in Northern California — specifically Nick Patterson (Pat River Tribe), a 27-year-old who has been missing for more than 15 months. Indigneous people are 2.5 times as likely to experience violent crimes — and at least two times more likely to experience rape or sexual assault crimes — compared to all other races, according to the National Congress of American Indians.
Chippewa Tribes Blast Wolf Hunt, Say It Was About Killing
AP News, Todd Richmond, March 22
Chippewa tribal officials in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan have blasted the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for putting on what they say was a poorly planned wolf season during which state-licensed hunters blew past their quota in a matter of days. The Chippewa consider the wolf sacred. The lead story in the spring issue of Mazina’igan, the quarterly newsletter for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, takes the DNR to task for allowing so much killing.
Remains Of Missing Indigenous Woman Found On Menominee Reservation
Native News Online, March 22
Human remains found on the Menominee Indian Reservation last week belong to Katelyn Kelley, who had been missing since June 2020, the Menominee Tribal Police Department announced Monday. Menominee Tribal Police, with assistance from the FBI, investigated remains found March 17 on the tribe’s reservation. In a statement posted on Facebook, the police department said an autopsy was performed on Monday and a positive identification was made.
Kenya Moore Defends Wearing Native American Headdress For Halloween On RHOA: ‘Part Of My Heritage’
People, Jen Juneau, March 23
Kenya Moore is coming to her own defense after wearing what she dubbed a “Warrior Princess” costume on The Real Housewives of Atlanta after receiving some criticism for the Native American-inspired look. On Sunday’s episode of the Bravo series, Moore, 50, dressed in an ensemble that included a Native American headdress as she attended a Halloween party at the home of Falynn Guobadia. Several costars (including Drew Sidora and Porsha Williams), as well as many on social media, spoke out about feeling uncomfortable with the costume. On Tuesday, Moore issued an apology about the costume.