Second Circuit Rejects Jay Treaty Statute Defense to Criminal Prosecution

Here are the materials in United States v. Malachowski:

Appellant Brief

Appellee Brief

CA2 Order

An excerpt:

Malachowski invokes 8 U.S.C. § 1359, which allows American Indians born in Canada to freely cross the borders of the United States, and contends that he was wrongfully convicted of counts three, four, five, and six. The statute extends only “to persons who possess at least 50 per centum of blood of the American Indian race,” and we previously expressed skepticism that Malachowksi satisfied his burden of proof on this point. See Malachowski, 415 F. App’x at 313 (noting the “dearth of evidence respecting [Malachowski’s] ancestry”). Neither the immigration officer assigned to Malachowksi’s case nor the ATF agent investigating Malachowksi unearthed evidence of his American Indian heritage. G.A. 58, 146-47. And when Malachowski was arrested by a border patrol agent and asked “Do you claim any legal status in the United States?” Malachowski answered “No.” G.A. 54. During this encounter, Malachowski also did not “claim any other citizenship or nationality.” Id. Malachowksi has accordingly fallen short of prevailing on this claim.

Federal Court Declines to Dismiss Cockfighting Prosecution against Yakama Indian

Here are the materials in United States v. Olney (E.D. Wash.):

877 Olney Motion to Dismiss

882 US Response

883 Reply

888 DCT Order

Terrible, Terrible News: Basil Johnston Walks On

Here is “Anishinaabe author, historian Basil H. Johnston passes away — Johnson was ‘an Anishinaabe giant, leaves a tremendous legacy,’ says Hayden King.”

Former Navajo Election Supervisors Sue Navajo Nation Supreme Court

Here is the complaint in Begay v. Navajo Nation Supreme Court:

FINAL Complaint 9.8.15

Press Release

Briefs in Great Plains Lending LLC v. State of Connecticut Dept. of Banking

Here:

Great Plains Brief

Dept of Banking Brief

Reply

Federal Court Holds Tribes Immune from Fair Credit Reporting Act Claims

Here are the materials in Meyers v. Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin (W.D. Wis.):

14 Oneida Motion to Dismiss

19 Meyer Opposition

20 Oneida Reply

23 DCT Order

Second Circuit Briefs in Cayuga Nation v. Tanner

Here:

Appellant Brief

Appellee Brief

Lower court materials here and here.

Ninth Circuit Affirms Two Convictions in Tribal Embezzlement/Theft Schemes

Here are the materials in United States v. Aubrey:

Aubrey Opening Brief

US Answer Brief

Aubrey Reply

CA9 Opinion

An excerpt:

For purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 1163, funds paid from an Indian tribal organization to a contractor continue to be “property belonging to any Indian tribal organization,” as long as the tribal organization maintains sufficient supervision and control of disbursed funds and their ultimate use. Accordingly, we reject William Aubrey’s contention that the evidence presented at his trial was insufficient to prove that he converted or misused property belonging to an Indian tribal organization in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1163. We also deny Aubrey’s other challenges to his conviction and sentencing.

Here are the materials in United States v. Augare:

Aguare Opening Brief

US Answer Brief

Augare Reply

CA9 Opinion

From the court’s syllabus:

The panel affirmed a sentence in a case in which the district court applied a “sophisticated means” enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1(b)(10)(C) following the defendant’s guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud the United States, False Claims Act conspiracy, theft from an Indian tribe receiving federal funding, and federal income tax evasion.

The panel held that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it applied the “sophisticated means” enhancement to the defendant’s offense conduct. The panel explained that the coordinated and repetitive steps that the defendant took to transfer money from the Po’Ka project to his personal bank account are comparable in complexity and sophistication to the schemes held to warrant the enhancement in both this court’s precedent and persuasive authority from other circuits.

 

New Student Scholarship on Understanding Tribal Courts and the Application of Fundamental Law

April Wilkinson has posted “A Framework for Understanding Tribal Courts and the Application of Fundamental Law: Through the Voices of Scholars in the Field of Tribal Justice,” forthcoming in the Tribal Law Journal, on SSRN.

Sherman Alexie on Disenrollments

Sherman