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El Laberinto, 1971-1987
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8 "A LICENSE TO KILL" AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT LEADER PEDRO BISSONETTE IS SLAIN BY B.I.A. POLICE AT PINE RIDGE One of the most revealing incidents of the length to which the Government and court would go was the case of Pedro, a leader of the Oglala Sioux Civil Rights Organization. He was awaiting trial on charges of assaulting a federal officer on November 6. He was accused of trying to run down with an automobile Homer Price a criminal investigator for the BIA police. Price was allegedly injured as BIA officers attempted to arrest Bissonette on a federal warrant. He had an appointed attorney whom none of us trusted. It was a hard case. On Memorial Day weekend, we got a commitment from John Thorne of San Francisco and Mark Lane, who had been at Wounded Knee from the beginning, to take the case if it could be delayed. I had already discussed substitution of attorneys for the purpose of continuance with the judge, and he had said no. On Tuesday, we went to Pierre, South Dakota-Ramon Roubideaux, Mark Lane and me-armed with a motion to stop the trial. Mark and Ramon went over to the court to prepare Russel Means for his bail reduction hearing. After the hearing, Mark and Ramon told me about the peculiar happenings at the jail. While they were talking to Pedro, the Sheriff had come in and demanded that they leave, saying that the U.S. Marshal had said nobody could see Pedro excepting his court-appointed attorney. They protested, but left because of the Means hearing. Just about that time, the judge came rushing up the hall in his black robes to where we were standing outside the courtroom and yelled, 'Have you been tampering with out witness?" We all said no, and then Mark said, "No, but I am concerned about the government witnesses talking to the prospective jurors." The judge said, "You take your hands off this case. It's none of your business. Pedro has a good counsel. He's satisfied." Mark said, "That's not true. Pedro wants me to be his lawyer." The judge said, "You haven't talked to him today." Mark said, "Oh yes I have." The judge pointed his finger and said "Would you swear to that?" Mark said, "Yes- Ramon and I saw him this morning and the sheriff saw us." In a bellow, the judge said, "I gave strict orders that nobody was-" he paused, and added in a softer tone, realizing he had admitted, "bother him." Then he turned on his heel and stalked away. Judges have no right to prevent defendants from seeing attorneys of their choice. In a few minutes, the clerk came out and said the judge wanted to see Mark. I suggested that none of us see the judge in chambers anymore unless we have a second lawyer with us. So both Ramon and Mark went in. In the judges chambers were Pedro, a court reporter, and the judge. The judge had been questioning Pedro without his lawyer present, another complete breach of judicial ethics. Mark sat down and the judge continued questioning Pedro about whether he had walked out on a conference with attorney Lennie Weinglass. Pedro said no. The judge said, "Your lawyer told me that you told him that." Mark said, "Your Honor, that is the most gross impropriety (for a lawyer to discuss his client's statements with a judge) I have ever heard."
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8 "A LICENSE TO KILL" AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT LEADER PEDRO BISSONETTE IS SLAIN BY B.I.A. POLICE AT PINE RIDGE One of the most revealing incidents of the length to which the Government and court would go was the case of Pedro, a leader of the Oglala Sioux Civil Rights Organization. He was awaiting trial on charges of assaulting a federal officer on November 6. He was accused of trying to run down with an automobile Homer Price a criminal investigator for the BIA police. Price was allegedly injured as BIA officers attempted to arrest Bissonette on a federal warrant. He had an appointed attorney whom none of us trusted. It was a hard case. On Memorial Day weekend, we got a commitment from John Thorne of San Francisco and Mark Lane, who had been at Wounded Knee from the beginning, to take the case if it could be delayed. I had already discussed substitution of attorneys for the purpose of continuance with the judge, and he had said no. On Tuesday, we went to Pierre, South Dakota-Ramon Roubideaux, Mark Lane and me-armed with a motion to stop the trial. Mark and Ramon went over to the court to prepare Russel Means for his bail reduction hearing. After the hearing, Mark and Ramon told me about the peculiar happenings at the jail. While they were talking to Pedro, the Sheriff had come in and demanded that they leave, saying that the U.S. Marshal had said nobody could see Pedro excepting his court-appointed attorney. They protested, but left because of the Means hearing. Just about that time, the judge came rushing up the hall in his black robes to where we were standing outside the courtroom and yelled, 'Have you been tampering with out witness?" We all said no, and then Mark said, "No, but I am concerned about the government witnesses talking to the prospective jurors." The judge said, "You take your hands off this case. It's none of your business. Pedro has a good counsel. He's satisfied." Mark said, "That's not true. Pedro wants me to be his lawyer." The judge said, "You haven't talked to him today." Mark said, "Oh yes I have." The judge pointed his finger and said "Would you swear to that?" Mark said, "Yes- Ramon and I saw him this morning and the sheriff saw us." In a bellow, the judge said, "I gave strict orders that nobody was-" he paused, and added in a softer tone, realizing he had admitted, "bother him." Then he turned on his heel and stalked away. Judges have no right to prevent defendants from seeing attorneys of their choice. In a few minutes, the clerk came out and said the judge wanted to see Mark. I suggested that none of us see the judge in chambers anymore unless we have a second lawyer with us. So both Ramon and Mark went in. In the judges chambers were Pedro, a court reporter, and the judge. The judge had been questioning Pedro without his lawyer present, another complete breach of judicial ethics. Mark sat down and the judge continued questioning Pedro about whether he had walked out on a conference with attorney Lennie Weinglass. Pedro said no. The judge said, "Your lawyer told me that you told him that." Mark said, "Your Honor, that is the most gross impropriety (for a lawyer to discuss his client's statements with a judge) I have ever heard."
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