Law | National

Oklahoma governor changes position in Baby Veronica dispute

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) changed course and told Dusten Brown, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, to meet with a non-Indian couple that wants to adopt his daughter.

On Tuesday, Fallin said she wouldn't act quickly on a request to extradite Brown to South Carolina. But she shifted her position after the non-Indian couple showed up in Oklahoma on Wednesday and asked to see Veronica, Brown's daughter.

"Mr. and Mrs. Capobianco deserve an opportunity to meet with their adopted daughter. They also deserve the chance to meet with Mr. Brown and put an end to this conflict," Fallin said in a statement. "If Mr. Brown is unwilling to cooperate with these reasonable expectations, then I will be forced to expedite his extradition request and let the issue be settled in court."

Brown and his family previously proposed a shared custody option but Matt and Melanie Capobianco reportedly rejected it.

Get the Story:
SC couple seeking deal in Cherokee custody case still resolute: ‘Veronica will be coming home’ (AP 8/14)
Oklahoma governor seeks end to Native American adoption fight (Reuters 8/14)
Opposing sides in 'Baby Veronica' case talk compromise (The Tulsa World 8/15)
As governor issues ultimatum, Capobiancos see early results of Oklahoma trip to retrieve Veronica (The Charleston Post and Courier 8/15)
Reality TV show host appears with adoptive parents of 'Baby Veronica' (The Tulsa World 8/15)