Trial opens into racist treatment of Indian children at game

Wednesday, July 22, 2015  

A non-Indian man goes on trial today in connection with the racist mistreatment of Indian children in South Dakota.

The 57 young members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe were subjected to racial taunts at a Rapid City Rush hockey game in January. Some had beer poured onto them from a luxury suite above their seats.

Only one person, however, has been charged in connection with the incident. Trace O’Connell, 41, faces one count of disorderly conduct.

The trial is taking place before a judge rather than a jury. The proceedings are being held Performing Arts Center to accommodate for a potentially large turnout.

The trial is expected to last two days.

Get the Story:
South Dakota man heads to trial in harassment of Indian kids (AP 7/22)
Nearly No Consequences For Drunk Executives Who Poured Beer On Native American Children’s Heads (Think Progress 7/22)
Racial incident trial expected to draw large crowd (KOTA 7/20)

Native Sun News: Rapid City police choose cultural advisor (7/21)
Native Sun News: Trial set for racial attack on Lakota students (7/16)
Native Sun News: Half-year marked by race-related incidents (7/15)
Native Sun News: Community leaders save Rapid City's reputation (6/8)
Robert Cook: Racism remains a problem for Native students (5/7)
Native Sun News: Tribe seeks boycott of Rapid City newspaper (03/24)
Native Sun News: Lakota Nation Invitational urged to relocate (3/10)
Oglala Sioux Tribe bans attorney in racial hockey game incident (3/5)
Albert Bender: A travesty of justice in attack on Indian children (3/3)
Rich Winter: Let's keep Lakota Nation Invitational in Rapid City (2/26)
Oglala Sioux Tribe wants Lakota Nation Invitational out of Rapid (2/26)
Rich Winter: A few too many bad apples in 'racist' South Dakota (2/23)
Delphine Red Shirt: Culture of fear impacts our Indian children (2/20)
Oglala Sioux Tribe seeks federal probe into attack on children (2/20)
Authorities file just one charge for racial attack on Indian kids (2/19)
Native Sun News: DOJ official visits Rapid City after racial flap (2/19)
Chase Iron Eyes: Man assaults our kids and gets away with it (2/19)
Bob Lone Elk: Still waiting on justice for racism in South Dakota (2/19)
Native Sun News: Rapid City paper admits error with headline (2/17)
Tim Giago: Racism continues to be tolerated in South Dakota (2/16)
Native Sun News: Rapid City reaches out to Pine Ridge youth (2/16)
Native Sun News: Second beer splashing incident investigated (2/12)
Robert Flying Hawk: Hate and racism too common in Rapid City (2/12)
Lakota Nation Invitational debates location after racial incident (2/11)
David Rooks: No consequences for pouring beer on Indian youth (2/9)
Delphine Red Shirt: Lakota children are called little sacred ones (2/6)
Jon Edwards: Racist attitudes in Rapid City are not imaginary (2/6)
Gyasi Ross: Interview with parent at hockey game in Rapid City (2/4)
Albert Bender: Indian children victimized by hockey game fans (2/4)
Investigation into mistreatment of Indian students drags out (2/3)
Tim Giago: Incident shows racism is alive and well in Rapid City (2/2)
Danielle Miller: Media lauds violence against our Indian children (2/2)
NAJA: Paper owes apology for flawed story about Indian children (2/2)
Opinion: File charges for hateful assault against Indian children (2/2)
Company claims harassment after racial incident at hockey game (1/30)
Criminal charges possible over mistreatment of Indian students (1/29)
Megan Red Shirt-Shaw: Our kids should be able to go anywhere (1/28)
Police probe racist treatment of Oglala youth at hockey game (1/28)