A2 Wednesday, April 22, 2020 The Forum LOCAL NEWS Police forced a DAPL Golf season begins protester to walk with broken hip, lawsuit alleges By Alex Derosier DGHURVLHU#IRUXPFRPPFRP BISMARCK — An Okla- homa man whose pel- vis was broken when he was tackled by a police officer while protest- ing the Dakota Access Pipeline in February 2017 has brought an excessive force lawsuit against North Dakota law enforcement officials. In the lawsuit filed in Cairns Film / Special to The Forum North Dakota U.S. Dis- (ULF 3RHPRFHDK LV WDFNOHG E\ DQ RႈFHU QDPHG LQ D trict Court, activist Eric ODZVXLWDV%LVPDUFNSROLFHRႈFHU%HQMDPLQ6ZHQVRQ Poemoceah claims police DVODZHQIRUFHPHQWFKDUJHGDJURXSRI'DNRWD$FFHVV Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor forced him to walk 3LSHOLQH SURWHVWHUV LQ )HEUXDU\ 0RQWDQD *ROIHUVDUHLQWHUVSHUVHG7XHVGD\$SULOVKRUWO\DIWHU7KH0HDGRZVJROIFRXUVH about 200 feet after he EDVHGSURGXFWLRQFRPSDQ\&DLUQV)LOPZKLFK¿OPHG RSHQHGLQ0RRUKHDG requested an ambulance WKH FKDUJH V\QFKURQL]HG LWV YLGHR ZLWK DXGLR IURP and mocked him when he 3RHPRFHDK¶VOLYHVWUHDPRIWKHLQFLGHQW complained of his inju- ries. April 21. instead forced by officers Poemoceah, a member Then-Cass County to walk more than 200 Minnesota senators seek of the Comanche Nation Sheriff Paul Laney is also feet to a van, according to in Oklahoma, was injured named in the complaint the complaint. at the tail end of the for his role in Poem- Poemoceah was protections for food workers months-long protests oceah’s arrest and in brought to a Bismarck aimed at preventing con- managing law enforce- hospital about two and a ĥoÿÉQ·ÿÉïı struction of a portion of ment’s response to the half hours after the inci- )RUXP1HZV6HUYLFH the Dakota Access Pipe- protests. Two unnamed dent and then booked in ST. PAUL — Minneso- line that would carry oil Fargo police officers and the Burleigh County Jail ta’s U.S. Sens Amy Klo- across the Missouri River a sheriff’s deputy from an on an obstructing a gov- buchar and Tina Smith, near the Standing Rock unnamed agency are also ernment function charge, along with 34 other col- Sioux Reservation. a Class A misdemeanor. It leagues, have signed a The suit, brought listed as John Doe defen- letter to Trump Admin- by the Civil Liber- dants. Laney could not was later confirmed that istration officials after a ties Defense Center in immediately be reached part of his hip was bro- wave of COVID-19 infec- Eugene, Ore., alleges the Tuesday. ken, the complaint said. tions has swept through officers’ indifference to Video of the incident Charges against Poem- Midwestern food process- Poemoceah’s injuries shows Poemoceah stand- oceah and at least eight ing on a road in front of others present during ing facilities. was in part retaliation In a Monday, April 20, for his involvement in a group of about 30 riot the police charge were equipment-clad officers. later dropped because letter, the senators asked the pipeline protests. how officials in the White It also claims officers According to the lawsuit, police never filed written Poemoceah, who was statements about essen- House, the U.S. Depart- lacked appropriate train- ment of Agriculture, Food ing in handling large- livestreaming the inci- tial facts outlining the dent, was trying to nego- offenses, the complaint and Drug Administration, scale demonstrations. Environmental Protection tiate a “peaceful process” said. Poemoceah is seek- Agency and the Depart- for elders to leave the Poemoceah’s lawsuit Jeremy Fugleberg / Forum News Service ing in excess of $75,000 ment of Homeland Secu- Water Protector encamp- is the latest legal action 7KH 6PLWK¿HOG )RRGV SRUN SURFHVVLQJ SODQW LQ 6LRX[ in damages for lasting rity are responding to the ment before the officers brought against North )DOOV6'RQ$SULO extreme pain in his left outbreaks in order to pro- charged at the protesters. Dakota law enforcement hip, lower back and leg tect essential workers in Poemoceah and a group officials in connection to lesser PPE available, the making the facility one of that resulted from the farms, processing facil- the Dakota Access Pipe- the nation’s largest coro- incident, as well as men- of protesters stand- ities and grocery stores, more essential workers navirus hotspots. tal distress. ing behind him turned line protests. In 2016 as well as the country’s may fall ill and further The senators asked the The complaint names and ran when police activists sued the city of food supply chain. They strain the supply chain cabinet officials a series Morton County, Mor- made their charge, video Mandan and the sheriffs wrote that many workers and economy, they wrote. of seven questions on ton County Sheriff Kyle shows. An officer can of Morton and Stutsman are risking their wellbe- Monday’s letter comes their plans to address food Kirchmeier, and Bis- then be seen tackling counties for alleged use ing, some feeling scared as positive COVID-19 worker safety issues, such marck police officer Ben- Poemoceah from behind, of excessive force. but pressured to work, and cases have forced two as collaboration with local jamin Swenson, the offi- sending both off the road In July 2019, a Navajo COVID-related closures meatpacking facilities in governments and the pri- cer who tackled Poem- and onto the downward tribe member from Ari- of facilities threaten the Minnesota, JBS USA in vate sector, increasing oceah, as defendants. The slope of a hill. zona brought a similar country’s supply chain. Worthington and Comfrey testing capacity and PPE Morton County Sheriff’s Four officers then excessive force lawsuit Further exacerbating Farm Prime Pork in Win- availability and ensuring Office, which had dep- restrained Poemoceah, against Morton County. these issues is the coun- dom, to temporarily shut- workers are communicat- utized Swenson during who can be heard in a Attorneys from the coun- try’s persistent shortages ter. The Smithfield Pork ed health and sanitation the protests, said it is recording screaming “It ty and the city of Bis- of coronavirus testing and Plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., best practices. reviewing the lawsuit hurts! You broke my hip!” marck asked U.S. District personal protective equip- also had to close as its &RQWDFW6DUDK0HDUKRIIDW and did not immediately The activist requested Judge Daniel Hovland to ment (often dubbed PPE) number of factory-linked VPHDUKRII#IRUXPFRPPFRPRU offer comment Tuesday, an ambulance but was dismiss the complaint. for essential workers. The cases soared to nearly 900, Read your newspaper inforum.com Computer: tap “E-paper” in upper right Tablet/Phone: tap menu, then “E-paper” in upper ONLINE ONLINEO It’s just like reading the print version )RUXP&RPPXQLFDWLRQV&R NEWSPAPER DELIVERY CORRECTIONS Copyright 2020 (701) 235-7311 The Forum is copyrighted through the United States Phone: POLICY: 7KH )RUXP LQWHQGV LWV FRYHUDJH WR EH DFFXUDWH &RS\ULJKW 2ႈFH7KH /LEUDU\ RI &RQJUHVV7KH ,661 William C. 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