POLITICAL PRISONER UPDATE
TONY RIOS - On Friday March 20, 1992 in Rapid City, South Dakota, at
the Pennington County Courthouse, Judge Merton Tice sentenced Tony to 8
years in the State Correctional Facility for the assault charges.
Following that he will serve 6 months county jail time which will be
suspended when they credit him for time already served. After that he
will have 20 years of probation during which time he can still be
forced to serve a life sentence if any parole violations occur. Tony
was transported from Pennington County Courthouse immediately after
sentencing, without even being able to speak to his mother.
CHRIS BALD EAGLE - For the past 14 months Chris has been held in
Pennington County Jail for charges that were previously dismissed by
the Oglala Sioux Tribal Court. He is currently on a hunger strike to
protest the injustices within the South Dakota judicial system and the
unfair legal representation by court appointed attorneys. On Sunday,
March 15, 1991 after visiting with Chris at Pennington County Jail,
four of his family members, including his grandmother were killed when
their car was struck by an oncoming vehicle that exploded on impact.
Chris immediately petitioned the court for permission to go home for
his family's funerals. A judge granted his request, but when Oglala
Sioux Triba Police came to Rapid City to escort him back home, U.S.
Marshalls intervened and convinced the judge to reverse his decision.
This latest injustice has left Chris with the conviction to continue
his fasting until his life is over or changes within the legal system
are brought about.
THE RED NATIONS NEWSPAPER will feature future articles about Tony and
Chris, as well as the other events and injustices unfolding within the
Rapid City legal system. At this time, the Alliance of Native
Americans and the Rios family are working with a prominant Chicago law
firm that is planning to appeal Tony's case on a pro bono basis as long
as money can be raised to cover travel expenses. This appeal is
important not only to Tony but to all of the political prisoners within
the state of South Dakota.
Reprinted at the personal behest of Thelma Rios, mother of Tony Rios.
--- Jacqueline.F.Keeler@Dartmouth.edu