Security Note on Writing to John Graham at Pennington County Jail
Please be aware that any mail sent directly to John Graham at Pennington County Jail is more than likely read and copied by jail authorities and please take care regarding how this may affect his trial (date to be announced).
To write to John Graham, imprisoned at Pennington County Jail, address envelope as follows:
John Graham
307 St. Joseph Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
USA
To write or call the jail:
Pennington County Jail
307 St. Joseph Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-6116
To contact the sheriff’s office:
Don Holloway, Sheriff
Pennington County
Sheriff’s Office
300 Kansas City Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-6113
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“In the past five years, there’s been a 29% increase in the number of inmates at the Pennington County Jail, 44% of which are Native American.”
- Pennington County Jail over capacity (Nov 28, 2007), KOTA Territory News
http://www.kotatv.com/global/story.asp?s=7423317&ClientType=Printable
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Protesters say jailing Indians illegal
Around 100 held a rally and march on April 13, 2001, in Rapid City, South Dakota, to protest injustice against American Indians in the US legal system.
By Jim Holland
Rapid City, South Dakota, April 13- Marie Lange says incarceration of American Indians in local jails is not only illegal but also an ineffective way to promote healing between victims and offenders.
Lange, of Rapid City, was one of about 100 marchers attending a rally Thursday in downtown Rapid City. The demonstrators spoke out against what they called continuing abuse and injustice against American Indians at the hands of the American legal system.
Lakota culture has better ways of dealing with those who commit offenses against society, Lange said.
“We never had to resort to jails and prisons,” she said. “Our system of restorative justice put families face-to-face with families.”
The European system of punishment and incarceration deprives individuals of their dignity, Lange said.
The intent of jail “is to take the Indian out of the Lakota instead of restoring the individual,” she said.
Lange and other marchers claim that jailing American Indians constitutes the taking of political prisoners, because tribes are independent sovereign nations. “Jail is no different than slavery,” she said. “The colonists here are on the wrong side of international law.”
Thursday’s march began at Roosevelt Park, then proceeded to the Pennington County Courthouse and jail complex.
About 50 marchers, carrying an inverted American flag, placards and a flag of the American Indian Movement circled the courthouse and adjacent jail complex several times, shouting encouragement to inmates inside.
Inmates could be heard yelling in reply and pounding on the narrow windows of their cells.
Marchers proceeded to the City School Administration Center, then concluded the march at Memorial Park.
Richard Grass from Rapid City said he was working to bring a United Nations War Crimes tribunal to Rapid City to investigate allegations of abuse of American Indians.
“This is a war of attrition,” he said. “The United States needs to rectify this situation.”
Pennington County Jail officials deny that inmates are denied rights based on their race.
Following recent claims of mistreatment by two Lakota inmates, officials contacted a Lakota spiritual leader to find ways to serve the needs of those who follow traditional Lakota spirituality during incarceration.
Charles Fast Horse of Rapid City also agreed to serve on the jail’s Religious Advisory Committee to review jail policies and procedures and train jail personnel to be aware of religious practices.
Grass admitted that progress had been made, but addition of more liaison officers to monitor treatment of Indian inmates was needed, he said.
Pennington County Chief Deputy Sheriff De Glassgow said the legality of jailing Indian inmates is a federal issue, not a local one.
Source: Rapid City Journal
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“Traditional Lakota warriors Garry Rowland and Darren Brings Plenty, both of the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Nation, are receiving inhumane treatment and inadequate medical attention at the Rapid City Pennington County jail, as well as being denied traditional Lakota Pipe religious ceremony, and they have taken their cases to the traditional healing and elders’ societies. Both men have serious heart conditions and should be hospitalized but transfers to the Regional hospital have been denied.”
- Lakota Warriors Resistance “At Rapid City Jail” (February 1, 2001)
