A federal judge has refused to throw out evidence gathered by tribal police officers on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota.

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe has acknowledged some of its officers weren't certified under tribal law. But Judge Karen Schreier said that doesn't affect a criminal defendant's rights in federal court.

Robert L. Erickson and other criminal defendants hoped to use the lack of certification in their favor. The tribal courts have dismissed nearly 300 cases for the same reason. The tribal courts hear more than 3,000 criminal cases a year.

Get the Story:
Judge rules against defendant in tribal police commission flap (The Rapid City Journal 5/10)

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