The district attorney in Humboldt County, California, is under scrutiny for accepting money linked to the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria.

The tribe, its chairman and one of the tribe's attorneys contributed a total of $11,100 to Paul Gallegos. Normally that wouldn't be an issue but the chairman's son reportedly bragged that his connections to the DA would "get him out of jail.�

Derek Bowman, the son of Bear River Chairman Leonard Bowman, has been in trouble with the law for more than a decade. But the DA's office dismissed or suspended nine felonies and a handful of misdemeanors against Derek in a single day after Gallegos won re-election.

Gallegos was challenged by deputy district attorney Worth Dikeman, who was recently criticized by the 9th Circuit of Appeals for excluding Natives from the jury of a murder case. Leonard Bowman's wife, Elise, led protests against Dikeman before the election.

Get the Story:
Gallegos sidesteps questions about possible conflict of interest in Bowman charges (The Eureka Reporter 9/26)

Native Jury Pool Court Decision:
Kessert v. Cambra (September 11, 2006)

Relevant Links:
Worth Dikeman - http://worthdikeman.org

Related Stories:
Yurok woman: California still a very racist state (9/18)
Prosecutor denies using race to keep Natives off jury (9/13)
9th Circuit blasts removal of Natives from jury pool (9/12)
Native women oppose district attorney candidate (05/23)