The Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1995-08-04

              Father of murdered boy seeks justice
m
By Gary Blair
Two and half year old Taylor Thompson died in March of 1994 on the
St. Croix Indian resenation. Newspaper accounts ofthe incident say the
Burnett County Sheriffs Department
in west-central Wisconsin ultimately
botched the homicide investigation
that resulted in reduced sentences for
the victim's mother, Renee Mosay,
and her live-in boyfriend, Marcus
Robles, who authorities believe
slammed the child's head into or hit
repeatedly with a blunt object.
Chad Thompson, the victim's father
and Red Lake resenation enrollee,
says his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend
killed his son. "It looks like all he's
going to get is a 'slap on the hands,'
" he told the PRESS on Monday. Thompson, who says he's now fighting
for custody of his other two children,
keeps newspaper clippings surrounding the incident as well as documents
he obtained from Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) workers that were
involved with his family before and
after his son's death.
"I don't want my children.to be
raised in foster homes," he said. "I
was abused in those places."
Thompson explained the situation
leading to his son's death: "It all
started when I found her in bed with
this white guy. He's the one who killed
my son and now my ex says she killed
him. Neither one of them will get
more than five years for what they did.
Her boyfriend will be getting out in
another year and a half, he plead
guilty to two lessor counts and she
was just recently sentenced to five
years for committing perjury," he
stated.
Thompson, who says he doesn't
drink, said of his ex-girlfriend, "She
was the best person and the best
mother when she wasn't drinking and
when she was, she was just the opposite."
"Even with all that's happened, the
time that we were together was the
best days of my life and those memories still hurt," he continued.
According to court and ICWA
records from both the St. Croix and
Red Lake (reservations, there were
"red flags" that warned ofthe imminent danger. "At one point both resenations were in a stand- off as to
who had jurisdiction of my children.
St. Croix wouldn't exchange information with Red Lake and I couldn't get
Red lake to take any action and now
they all feel bad about what happened," Thompson remarked.
In the three years before the youth's
death, abuse and neglect allegations
had been aimed at both of the child's
parents, as well as her new boyfriend
Marcus Robles, but no court action
was taken. However, Thompson was
later charged at Red lake with child
abuse and neglect, but those com-
Justice cont'd on pg 3
White Earth Man Finds Obstacles to
Business Development
By Jeff Armstrong
After 29 years as an auto mechanic,
White Earth native Dick Nordstrom
thought he had finally realized his
dreamof owning his own garage when
he invested his hard-earned savings
into the purchase of a downtown Park
Rapids property last June.
Nordstrom, owner of Dick's Auto
Repair in Park Rapids, had found
what he viewed as an ideal location to
develop his 13-yearbusiness. The site
held two large metal sheds previously
used for storage and repair, offered
space for parking, and was located in
the heart ofthe city' s business district.
But what seemed a routine matter of
obtaining a city7 permit has evolved
into a costly, painstaking ordeal which
has jeopardized Nordstrom's
investment and the future of the
business itself. Because the shop he is
currently leasing is being sold,
Nordstrom has a maximum of two
months to move into his nevv facility,
which he says in need of substantial
repair.
"I'm going to need to put in
insulation, wiring, and water and
sewer lines, but that's all on hold
while I wait for a conditional use
permit. Meanwhile, it's costing me
extra money to pay for attorney's fees
and having to take time out from
work," said Nordstrom. "I need
financing severely," he said.
The Aninishabe man took a major
step toward his goal of opening the
garage by the middle of next month
when he won a recommendation from
the city Planning Commission at an
of^en emotional July 31 meeting.
Although clearly in the minority,
opponents of the zoning request aired
concernsabout the prospectofjunked-
out cars and possible run-off from
discarded automotive fluids detracting
from a neighborhood dominated by
medical and retail establishments.
"I don't think that an auto repair
place fits into the area. That's my
objection to it," said Guy Reich, a
dentist located kitty-corner from
Nordstrom's garage. "You talk about
health—you have oil, transmission
fluids, and and now I hear there's
Obstacles cont'd on pg 3
Trademark denied for Crazy Horse malt liquor
By Matt Kelley
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) _ Federal
officials have denied a trademark for
Crazy Horse Malt Liquor, the latest
blow to a brew criticized by American
Indians since its introduction three
years ago.
Namingthebeverageafterthe Sioux
warrior and spiritual leader is
insulting, Commerce Department
lawyer Kathryn Erskine wrote last
month in denying the trademark.
"Using the name ofthe great leader
on beer is particularly offensive, not
just as crass commercialization ofhis
persona, but because it undermines
his teachings and demeans his
reputation as a spiritual leader,"
Erskine wrote.
Crazy Horse Malt Liquor is brewed
by the G. Heileman Brewing Co. and
distributed by the Hornell Brewing
Co. of Nevv York. American Indians
have objected to the name since its
introduction in 1992, saying it is
particularly offensive given Crazy-
Horse's opposition to alcohol.
A Hornell spokeswoman referred
questions to company lawyer Larry7
Fox, who did not return a telephone
message at his New York office
Tuesday afternoon.
Company officials have said they
meant no offense to American Indians.
Hornell Chairman Don Vultaggio has
said the name refers to the Crazy
Horse persona created in Hollywood,
not the actual historical figure.
Erskine rejected those arguments
and the company's bid for trademark
protection on July 24.
"Use oi uie name Crazy norse as a
trademark on 'a cheap drunk' is an
anathema to many Siouan people
because it degrades and dehumanizes
an important historical leader to the
level of a derisive stereotypical figure
'created in Hollywood,'" Erskine
wrote.
Denying the trademark means
Liquor cont'd on pg 3
Minneapolis Native receives Army
leadership award
Staff Sergeant Gerald C. Ecker was
honored by the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Saturday, June 24, 1995, in
Rochester, Minn. Sergeant Ecker received the 173rd Airborne Brigade
Sigholtz leadership award. Lieutenant Sigholtz was a trooper of the
173 rd Airborne Brigade who was
killed in action during the Viet Nam
War.
Sergeant Ecker has been with the
82nd Airborne Division in Fort
Bragg, North Carolina since 1987. He
is the son of Renie Ecker of Minneapolis and Gerald Northrup from the
Red Lake Band of Chippevva Indians.
Attending the ceremony in Rochester was General William C.
Westmoreland and Colonel Robert
Sigholtz, Sr, the originator of the
award in honor of his son. City of
Rochester Mayor Chuck Hazama also
attended.
Growing up in Minneapolis, Sergeant Ecker had always shown an interest in the military and is preceded
in senice by several family members.
His Grandfather, John Northrup, also
a medic, landed on Omaha Beach in
France during the Normandy invasion
and was later wounded in the Battle
of the Bulge, losing his right arm.
Gerald Ecker's uncle, Ronald
Abrahamson who was a Ranger, was
killed in action in Korea. Another
uncle, PFC Maurice Northrup, 101st
Airborne Division, was killed in action in Viet Nam. The following is a
letter of endorsement from Sergeant
Ecker's commanding officer:
"1. I can think of no more worthy
young, professional airborne leader
than Staff Sergeant Gerald C. Ecker
for the 173rd Airborne Brigade
Sigholtz Leadership Award.
2, Staff Sergeant Ecker has always
Staff Sgt. Gerald C. Ecker
distinguished himself no matter what
the situation. Shortly after enlisting
in the army, Private First Class Ecker
Native cont'd on pg 5
Court: Non-Indian must first take claim to tribal court
ST. PAUL (AP) _ A non-Indian
initially must take his property
damage claim against an Indian
tribe's on-resen'ation convenience
store to a tribal court, not to a state
court, the Minnesota Court of
Appeals has ruled.
In a unanimous opinion to be filed
Tuesday, a three-judge panel reversed
a Redwood County District Court's
refusal to dismiss a claim against the
Lower Sioux Indian Community's
store.
The Appeals Court said the state
court should have referred the matter
to tribal court to examine issues of
jurisdiction and sovereign immunity.
The doctrine of sovereign immunity
generally protects Indian tribes from
being sued in nontribal courts without
their consent.
The lawsuit against the store, which
is adjacent to the tribe's Jackpot
Junction casino near Morton, was
brought by Albion Klammer.
Klammer claimed that a ruptured hose
at the store sprayed fuel over himself
and passengers in his car. When the
convenience store did not appear in
conciliation court, Klammer won a
default judgment of $4,356.57.
The Redwood County District Court
judge who reviewed the case
determined that the tribe had waived
its sovereign immunity from
uncontested suit by mixing
governmental and corporate powers
of its charter and constitution.
The district court denied the tribe's
motion to direct that Klammer first
exhaust his remedies in tribal court
before seeking relief in state court.
The district court held that the exercise
of state jurisdiction would not interfere
with the community's self-
government, nor impinge on its
sovereignty.
The Appeals Court, rejected those
conclusions. It agreed with the
convenience store' s assertion that the
district court's decision "undermines
the role ofthe tribal court, a vital part
of the community's governance of
reservation affairs."
The Appeals Court said that
unconditional access to state court
would impair the tribal court's
authority.
"...The policy of supporting tribal
self-government and self-
determination favors a rule that will
provide the tribal court, whose
jurisdiction is being challenged, the
first opportunity to evaluate the factual
and legal bases for that challenge,"
the court opinion says. "Federal courts
apply this rule even when, similar to
here, no action is yet pending in tribal
court."
Father of murdered boy seeks justice/ pg 1
WE Man Finds Obstacles to Business/ pg 1
Non-Indian must 1st take claim to tribal court/ pg 1
Pine Point Perspective/ pg 4
Pow wow trail/ pg 8
Voice of the Anishinabek (The People)
J
The
Fifty Cents
Founded   in 1988
Ojibwe
News
We Support Equal Opportunity For All  People
Volume 7    Issue 6 August 4, 1 995
I
A weekly publication.
Copyright, The Ojibwe Mews,  1995
Lea Ball shows Duffy (left) some raisins at the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary' located in northern Minn.
Man has devoted part his life to the
preservation of the black bear
The ever changing earth has been
home to countless animals, many now
extinct, as humans continue to settle
the wilderness the existence of many
more continue to come into question.
One man has devoted the later part
his life to the presen'ation of one
species, the black bear.
Vince Shute, known locally as "The
Bear Man", has been living a unique,
life the past 25 years. After a lifetime
of hard work, Vince found himself
sharing a patch of northern forest
with a population of black bears.
During their frequent visits, bears
would occasionally break into his log
dwelling. Frustrated, but unwilling to
shoot them, Vince decided to feed the
bears in order to save his home. As
Vince so candidly states today, "the
bears were only guilty ofbeing hungry,
but how could I live with hungry
bears?" A special relationship between
Vince and the bears ultimately
developed, one that has endured a
quarter part of a century.
In the fall of 1993, at the age of 80,
Vince approached three friends who
shared a common concern for 'his'
beloved bears. He solemnly asked,
"What will happen to the bears if
something happens to me?" In
response to Vince's dreamof ensuring
a safe future for the bears, the
American Bear Association (ABA)
was established in January 1995. This
nonprofit corporation is dedicated to
protecting the wildlife and land now
designated as the Vince Shute Wildlife
Sanctuary.
The permanent establishment of this
sanctuary will preserve a unique
opportunity to peer into the intimate
world ofthe normally reclusive black
bear. The ABA believes the Vince
Shute Wildlife Sanctuary can provide
unlimited possibilities for scientific
studies and educational programs
regarding  the   diverse   natural
Bears cont'd on pg 5
Government targets Indian casinos in
effort to stop money launderin
WASHINGTON (AP) _ The
government is extending its efforts to
fight money laundering to the
multibillion-dollar industry of Indian
casinos.
The Treasury Department said
Monday its proposed rules are aimed
at preventing criminals from
concealing illegal proceeds, not
limiting casino activities.
"Money launderers and tax evaders
continue to look for nevv ways to hide
their money," said Stanley Morris,
head of Treasury's Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network. "Casinos are
cash-intensive and many offer a wide
variety of financial services similar to
banks."
Patrons of Indian-run casinos wager
more than $27 billion a year, the
department said.
Since 1985, the Treasury has
required commercial casinos that do
at least $ 1 million in annual business
to keep records of large cash
transactions.
The idea is to preserve a financial
trail for investigators tracking
criminal assets.
Congress amended a money
laundering law last year to include
tribal gaming.
"With the tremendous growth of
Indian gaming, the time is right for
the industry to adopt money
laundering controls," Morris said.
The new rules are the product of
consultations with tribal
governments, Congress and the
National Indian Gaming
Commission, he said.
The commission said many of its
members already have adopted rules
to control laundering.
The Treasury said it is seeking
comment from tribes and others on its
proposed rules.
Retail training efforts seeks to reduce teen smoking
By Brad Swenson
A major statewide retail employee
training program launched
Wednesday hopes to stem the tide of
teenagers illegally buying tobacco
products.
"We want to make it very clear our
members are not in the business of
selling tobacco to underage teens,"
Judy Cook, president ofthe Minnesota
Retail Merchants Association, said
in a news conference held Wednesday
in Bemidji.
She was joined by Nancy
Christensen, executive director ofthe
Minnesota Grocers Association, and
Bob Krogman, executive director of
the Minnesota Petroleum Marketers
Association. The three groups have
banded together as the Minnesota
Coalition of Responsible Retailers.
The coalition plans a major
education and training effort to
prevent the sale of tobacco products
to minors, with the association
representing more than 4,000 retailers
who operate in all facets ofthe retail
industry from giant supermarkets to
convenience stores and gasoline
service stations.
"Retailers are making diligent
efforts to prevent the sale of tobacco
to minors," Christensen said, adding
that the coalition supported legislation
in the 1995 session to license tobacco
retailers and mandate training.
"Properly trained, those clerks are the
first line of defense."
Tom B riant, executive director of
the new coalition, said the bill is still
pending but "we could not get the
support ofthe anti-tobacco lobby for
this legislation despite important
provisions such as statewide licensing
Teen cont'd on pg 3