I received a 30-day delay of sentence today on a misdemeanor trespass charge involving a May encampment of the Kennecott Eagle Mineral Company’s porthole next to Eagle Rock which is on Ceded Territories.
Pryor’s case would likely serve as a precedent and I therefore didn’t expect I would have a fair trial.
I decided to accept the plea agreement I offered to the prosecutor after seeing the outcome of Cynthia Pryor’s case, held earlier this year.
In Pryor’s case, the judge did not allow the Lease into the court room, which involved the not yet decided EPA’s decision, on issuing a permit and the Lease states Kennecott must have all permits before the lease is valid.
When I abide by all terms of the 30-day delay, the prosecution has agreed to dismiss the charge.
Defense attorney Karrie Wichtman of the Lansing firm of Rosette and Associates said “The no contest plea allowed Charlotte to admit no wrongdoing” because she did nothing wrong.
Wichtman said, “The tribe is one of the only entities that could effect change in this situation.”
Me and Chris Chosa, were among six people at Eagle Rock on May 27. Four protesters left the site when asked, while Chris and I were not willing to leave our Ceded Territories we were arrested.
Chosa and I were part of a group of people who had set up an encampment at Eagle Rock, to pray and exercise our Treaty Rights-
Hunting, (we had eight deer tags issued to us from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community)
Gathering, (we gathered medicines, food, and building materials)
and fishing rights.
The encampment – which also included non-Native Americans – are concerned about tribal access to Eagle Rock and we have no access at this time- a site considered sacred by all Native Americans in our Treaties – and Acid Mining pollution of our water, including the Salmon Trout River and Lake Superior.
The Sacred rock outcropping is located on State land “leased” to Kennecott for the mine’s surface facilities in Michigamme Township. The State of Michigan denied Keweenaw Bay Indian Community to Lease this Sacred Site a few years ago to preserve it and keep it safe.
I plan to run for a seat on the tribal council to try to change things from within. I feel the council could be doing more to try to enforce our rights , which is located on treaty lands and they’re not, probably because of prior commitments.
Written By: John Pepin of the Mining Journal
Revised by: Charlotte Loonsfoot
