User:Mgibaszek/Pine Ridge Reign of Terror

Lead
After the 1973 Siege of Wounded Knee, a paramilitary group action of the desires of the tribal Chairman used violence, harassment, and intimidation as a means of control over the residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, specifically focusing on members of the American Indian Movement and their supporters. After three years, and at least sixty-nine deaths, the Reign of Terror reached its climax in a shootout on the Jumping Bull Ranch that led to the largest manhunt in United States history. This led to the sentencing of Leonard Peltier in the deaths of FBI agents Jack Coler and Robert Williams.

Massacre at Wounded Knee
On December 29, 1890, nearly 300 Lakota people, primarily women and children, are killed on the Pine Ridge Reservation by the Seventh Cavalry of United States Army. The massacre came after years of unrest within the reservation due to the federal government continuing to seize portions of Lakota land. It is not entirely clear what triggered the gunfire, although some believe it was in reaction to a performance of the Ghost Dance.

Federal Response
** use 1975 Times article to quote Then senator/army comments about reparations

American Indian Movement (AIM)
Along with other civil rights movement, The American Indian Movement got its start during the 1960's. Founded in Minneapolis, AIM focused on the systemic issues Native Americans faced. The group gained traction during the occupation of Alcatraz in November of 1969, the Trail of Broken Treaties protest, and numerous other publicized acts of rebellion.

Wilson Prior to 1972 Election
Wilson was born on the Pine Ridge reservation on April 29, 1934. He was a plumber, and he and his wife had ten children. He served as a tribal council member for six years prior to being elected as Chairman.

Wilson as Tribal Chairman
In 1972 Dick Wilson was elected tribal chairman of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Wilson was incredibly unpopular with Pine Ridge residents due to having a corrupt and undemocratic administration. Wilson used federal funds to create his own militia known as the Guardians of the Oglala Nation, also known as the GOON squad. GOONs used strong arm tactics such as violence, harassment, and intimidation to control the people of Pine Ridge and quell any discontent.

Wilson set up the first Indian housing authority on the reservation.

** Wilson's FBI backed election despite how unpopular he was

** 1973 attempted impeachment with a subsequent protest

After Wilson lost the 1976 election, he left the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Siege of Wounded Knee
Starting on February 27, 1973, and lasting 71 days, the Wounded Knee Siege consisted of 300 armed Oglala Sioux and AIM members enter the town of Wounded Knee and declare it independent territory. The group demanded that Congress investigate corruption of tribal government and hold hearing over its broken treaties with Native American tribes. Within hours more than 200 FBI, marshals, and Bureau of Indian Affairs police surround and blockage the area.

After 30 days the government cut off water, electricity, and food supplies to Wounded Knee. Both occupiers and police exchanged fire throughout the conflict. Half a million rounds were fired into Wounded Knee, including the use of machine guns. Frank Clearwater and Buddy Lamont were killed from the fire. Lamont's grandmother was a survivor of the original massacre, and his great grandparents had fought at the Battle of Little Big Horn.

The conflict ended on May 8, 1973.

Reign of Terror
After the events at Wounded Knee, the federal government will launch an attack on AIM under its counterintelligence program, also known as COINTELPRO. With the support of the FBI, Dick Wilson's GOON squad go on a rampage of beatings and assassinations of AIM members and supporters, as well as physically assaulting others of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Within the next three years, more 60 people will be violently murdered on or near the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Known victims
Leon L. Swift Bird: AIM member killed near Pine Ridge on January 5, 1975 stabbed and killed by GOON squad member Dorothy Iris Poor Bear.

Lydia Cut Grass: AIM member killed at Wounded Knee on January 5, 1976 by GOONs. However, according to the FBI finds, Cut Grass was originally believed to have been killed from a beating she experienced three weeks prior. The autopsy stated her death as due to an overconsumption of liquor.

Byron DeSersa: OSCRO organizer and AIM supported killed in Wanblee on Jan 31, 1976. by GOONs. GOON members, Dale Janis and Charlie Winters, were convicted with manslaughter. Both served only two years of their five year sentences. Two other GOON members, Manny Wilson and Chuck Richards, had charges in DeSersa's death dropped. Wilson and Richards claimed self defense despite Desera being unarmed at the time of the shooting.

Anna Mae Aquash: Prominent AIM member was murdered in 1976. FBI findings stated that Aquash's body was found in September of 1976. However, the person who found Aquash,Roger Amiotte, states he found her in February 1976. The first autopsy performed on Aquash stated her cause of death was exposure, but a second autopsy revealed Aquash to have died of a gunshot wound to the head.

Lena R. Slow Bear, Delphine Crow Dog, Elaine Wagner, Edward Means, Jr.: Lena Slow Bear, an AIM supporter, was found dead on February 6, 1976. The autopsy of Slow Bear, Crow Dog, Wagner, and Means states that they each died of intoxication and exposure. However, the autopsies were performed by Dr. W.O. Brown who was the same person to perform Anna Mae Aquash's initial autopsy. Therefore, many believe these autopsies to be falsified, and that, instead, all four were killed by GOONs.

Edward Standing Soldier: AIM Member who died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen on February 18, 1974.

Martin Montileaux

Hobart Horse

Stacy Cotter

Edith Eagle Hawk and her two children

Cleveland Reddest

Jeanette Bissonette

Richard Eagle

Hilda R. Good Buffalo

Jancita Eagle Dear

Priscilla White Plume

Frank Clearwater

Roxanne Roark

Buddy Lamont

Betty Jo Dubray

Marvin Two Two

Julia Pretty Hips

Ben Sitting Up

Sam Afraid of Bear

Kenneth Little

Kevin Hill

Leak Spotted Elk

Clarence Cross

Joseph Stuntz Killsright

Betty Means

James Briggs Yellow

Andrew Paul Stewart

Julius Bad Heart Bull

Sandra Wounded Foot

Randy Hunter

Dennis LeCompte

Howard Blue Bird

Jim Little

Jackson Washington Cutt

Robert Reddy

Melvin Spider

Philip Black Elk

Aloysius Long Soldier

Phillip Little Crow

Pedro Bissonette

Olivia Binals

Janice Black Bear

Michelle Tobacco

Elaine Wagner

Allison Fast Horse

John S. Moore

Carl Plenty Arrows Sr.

Frank La Pointe

Floyd S. Binals

Yvette Loraine Lone Hill

Reopening of cases
45 murder cases reexamined by FBI after pressure from community.

Incident At Oglala
On June 26, 1976, special agents Jack R. Coler and Ronald A. Williams, along with a Lakota man named, Joe Stuntz, are killed on the Jumping Bull Compound in Pine Ridge. The two FBI agents were said to be after a man named Billy Eagle who was believed to have stolen a pair of cowboy boots. The two agents had seen Eagle's red truck enter the compound and followed it. A shootout broke out between the agents and the AIM members and residents of the compound. Both Coler and Williams were killed in the fight.

Leonard Peltier Trial
trial, outcome, denial of parole