Law

Court orders new sentence in Crow murder case

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new sentence for a man who pleaded guilty for the deaths of two women on the Crow Reservation in Montana.

Eugene R. Rising Sun pleaded to second-degree murder for the November 2003 deaths of LaFonda Big Leggins, 23, and Koren Nola Diebert, 26. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

In a unanimous decision, the court vacated the sentence and said a federal judge erred by applying two enhancements to the sentence. Rising Sun's claim for unreasonableness was rejected.

Get the Story: Court orders new sentence for Crow Agency man (AP 4/15)

Related Stories:
Man to plead guilty to murders of two Indian women (7/18)
Guilty plea in murders of Crow Reservation women (1/17)
Editorial: Justice lacking in Crow murder case (12/02)
Series: Waiting for justice on Crow Reservation (11/29)
Crow Tribe blames unsolved murders on racism (11/23)
Charges pending for murders on Crow Reservation (06/25)
Juvenile held for Crow Reservation murders (12/11)
Arrests in Crow Reservation double murder (12/10)
Two women beaten to death on Crow Reservation (12/01)