The missing 25,000 jurors
The jury pool exclusion of Indians in Kesser v. Cambra took place in Humbolt County. I came across this yesterday when looking up the history of the Mendocino Indians and the Mendocino Indian Reservation. MacKerricher SP is what is left of the 25,000 acre Mendocino Indian Reservation. In 1867 the land was sold off to settlers at $1.25 per acre. Thirty yeas later the Congress would terminate the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma to "ease" the transition of the Oklahoma Territory to Statehood. It took half a century to restore government to government relations between the US and the CNO. The Yokayo Tribe of Indians of the Yokayo Rancheria and the Noyo River Indian Community in Fort Bragg are still waiting.
From: Declaration of Lester J. Marston in Support of Defendant's Motion Challenging the Composition of the Jury Panel link.
The Jury Commissioner in Mendocino County refuses to utilize Mendocino County tribal voter registration lists as one of the lists in selecting jury panels for criminal cases here in Mendocino County, even though these lists are available and even though they contain one hundred percent (100%) of all of the enrolled members of every federally recognized Indian tribe located in Mendocino County.
This affects the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians, the Cahto Indian Tribe, the Manchester-Point Arena Band of Pomo Indians, the Potter Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the Pinoleville Indian Community, the Little River Band of Pomo Indians, the Covelo Indian Community, the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, and the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians. In addition to these federally recognized Indian tribes, there are two non-federally recognized Indian tribes in Mendocino County, the Yokayo Tribe of Indians of the Yokayo Rancheria and the Noyo River Indian Community in Fort Bragg.
Todo: Contact Harriet Rhoades, Spokesperson, Noyo River Indian Community, P.O. Box 91, Fort Bragg, CA 95437. (707) 964-2647, starfish at pacific dot net. We're visitors.