The cities of Tulsa and Owasso, state law enforcement and corporate groups, and the states of Texas, Kansas, Louisiana, and Nebraska have filed briefs in support of Oklahoma’s request that the US Supreme Court overturn its ruling that some tribal reservations have never been overturned.
The pleadings filed on Thursday alleged that crimes such as domestic violence were not prosecuted because of the so-called McGirt decision.
Acting US Attorney Clint Johnson in Tulsa and Cherokee Nation chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. deny the allegations.
“The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has reviewed nearly 3,000 cases since the McGirt decision,” Johnson said in a statement to Tulsa World. “My office has opened over 900 of these cases – 450 of which have been charged so far.”
Hoskin said the tribes had expanded and coordinated with law enforcement.
Stitt has identified the McGirt decision as the state’s biggest problem and praised the filings.
“Each of these pleadings effectively shows the chaos McGirt created and the dire consequences for all Oklahomans if the verdict is not overturned,” said Stitt.
The McGirt ruling stated that Oklahoma has no jurisdiction for crimes committed by or against Native Americans on tribal reservations.
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