All nine council members for the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan have been released from jail after a tribal appellate court intervened.

A tribal judge ordered the council to jail after they failed to swear in a new new chairman and a new treasurer. They remained there for for three nights despite two appellate court rulings that were posted on Turtle Talk.

In June, tribal members ousted seven people from the council. The losing candidates refused to recognize the results of the election, resulting in a lawsuit in tribal court.

Judge Bradley Dakota of the tribe's court ordered a new election to take place October 23 and ordered the new chairman and treasurer to be seated. When the sitting council members refused, he held them in contempt.

An attorney for the council said Dakota had refused to recognize the tribal appellate court rulings.

Get the Story:
LVD council released from Iron County Jail (WLUC-TV 9/11)
LVD council members released from jail (The Ironwood Daily Globe 9/13)

Related Stories:
Lac Vieux Desert council members remain in jail over contempt (9/10)
Lac Vieux Desert council members arrested in leadership dispute (9/9)
Ousted Lac Vieux council members challenge results of election (7/16)