Native OK 7/5 Weekly Newsletter
The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington U.S. Supreme Court restores state criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country By Dustan Heistand Gaylord News WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday narrowed the impact of the historic 2020 ruling that restored reservations for six of the state’s Native American tribes. The Court’s decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta is the latest of a string of controversial rulings this term. In a 5-4 decision, the Court determined that the state can prosecute non-Native Americans for crimes committed on tribal land when the victim is Native. “ The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta is an alarming step backward for justice on our reservation in cases where non-Native criminals commit crimes against Native people” the Muscogee Nation said in a statement. “It hands jurisdictional responsibility in these cases to the State, which during its long…history of illegal jurisdiction on our reservation, routinely f...