Two families from the Crow Tribe of Montana will be able to proceed with their lawsuit against an FBI agent.

Earline and Cletus Cole are accusing agent Matt Oravec of making disparaging remarks about Indian women who were the victims of sexual assault. They also say he attempted to intimidate Cletus Cole when they asked him about the investigation into their son's death on the reservation.

The other plaintiff is Veronica Springfield, whose husband was found dead on the reservation. She claims Oravec failed to investigate the incident properly.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the case could move forward in an unpublished opinion from January 2012. Oravec asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the decision but the justices declined in an order on January 14.

Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Cole v. Oravec.

Get the Story:
Crow Indians’ Lawsuit Against F.B.I. Agent to Proceed (The New York Times 2/2)

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