I would like to call upon the help of all Native-l subscribers to lend their
support to my partner Leonard Butcher who is serving a ten day sentence for
exercising his reserved treaty rights to hunt.
He was sentenced on March 4, 1996 on four separate counts, with all but ten
days of his sentence stayed for one year. His case is now pending appeal to
the state Supreme Court, however, because of miscommunications between
Leonard, his lawyer, and the judge in his case, he cannot get the ten days
stayed while his appeal is going through.
He was contacted by the Clearwater County Sheriff in Bagley, MN and ordered
to come in and serve his sentance starting Monday May 6, 1996. He was
subsequently transferred to the Park Rapids jail because there was not
enough space for him in either Clearwater County where he was charged, nor
in his home county of Beltrami where he could be close to his family and
supporters.
He entered the jail wearing traditional native clothing, and he had eagle
feathers in his hair. He also carried his pipe and some maple sugar candy
that he harvested traditionally this spring. All of these items were seized
as he entered the Park Rapids jail, and he was issued a standard jail
uniform.
Leonard wanted to take these items with him in order to give him strength
as he prayed, and he planned to undergo a partial fast while incarcerated.
The jail officials are now threatening to send him to Brainerd, MN. to
undergo a psychiatric evaluation if he does not eat within 72 hours.
They do not want to understand. Leonard is a sundancer. He does not want to
fast in order to die. He understands that all life is sacred. He wants to
undergo a partial fast for strength in his meditation and prayers. He took
the maple candy with him, in case he felt himself getting too weak. He does
not want to drink their (polluted) purified water (with chlorine,etc.). I
tried to leave a sealed bottle of spring water for him today, but it was
refused.
He really needs letters of support right now. They are making it very hard
for him to practice his religious freedom.
The U.S. government complained for years about the Soviet Union committing
dissenters to psychiatric wards, while their very own jails are doing the
same thing to indigenous people who want to practice their spirituality.
I understand that in some states prisoners can have their pipe, etc. with
them if they are sent to prison because of the length of their stay;
however, I believe that our sacred items should be allowed with us every
day, because we need strength to practice our religion every day, not just
one day a week.
If you live nearby and want to go visit Leonard, the visiting hours are:
1:00-3:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 7:00-10:00 on Sundays.
PLEASE write letters of support to:
Leonard Butcher
c/o Hubbard County Jail
300 Court Street
Park Rapids, MN 56470
He will be there until Wednesday May 15, 1996.
If you would like more information about his treaty rights case, my e-mail
address is: clring@vax1.bemidji.msus.edu
Mii gwech,
Cleo Ringhand
" In real world, we are human being. In shadow of real world, we are being
human. " John Trudell from Rich Man's War