Case involving handcuffed Ojibwe boy dismissed

Thursday, June 21, 2007  

A judge in Minnesota dismissed an assault case after the 11-year-old Ojibwe victim and other witnesses failed to show up for the trial.

The case drew national attention because Mille Lacs County arrested, handcuffed and detained the 11-year-old victim. The county attorney said the boy, a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, failed to respond to a subpoena.

The boy was allegedly assaulted by a 13-year-old boy, who did appear in court. But without a victim and witnesses, the judge said he had no choice but to throw out the charges.

Get the Story:
No victim, no witness, no case (The Mille Lacs Messenger 6/20)

Relevant Links:
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe - http://www.millelacsojibwe.org

Related Stories:
Experts criticize policy after Ojibwe boy, 11, jailed (5/4)
County handcuffed and jailed 11-year-old Ojibwe boy (5/3)