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Oct

Filmmaker hopes his documentary will help free imprisoned 88-year-old Oglala Lakota spiritual leader

   Posted by: admin   in Law and Order, Oglala Lakota, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

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Douglas White
Yesterday, we featured this post (with video) on imprisoned Oglala Lakota spiritual leader Douglas White, 88, who seeks to be released from prison now that his two grandsons have recanted their child molestation accusations against him.

That story referenced a documentary film that’s being made on White’s 16-year ordeal.

Today, the Rapid City (S.D.) Journal has this story on documentary filmmaker Simon Joseph, who’s making the movie “Holy Man,” which is narrated by actor Martin Sheen.

Filmmaker Simon Joseph (Ryan Soderlin/Rapid City Journal)

Filmmaker Simon Joseph (Ryan Soderlin/Rapid City Journal)

The Journal reports that White – from South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation – is dying of lung cancer at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minn. His attorney says he’ll file an expedited motion next week to have White released immediately pending the appeals court’s deliberation.

“This is a case that cries out for justice,” says Terry Pechota, a Rapid City (S.D.) lawyer who has been working to free White since 2007, when he learned the grandsons, now grown, had recanted their testimony and said they lied at his trial – something they also say in the film. “I can only hope we can get Doug back to his people prior to the time he dies.”

Joseph, along with Jennifer Jessum, the director of “Holy Man,” will host a Free Douglas White rally at the Billy Mills Hall in Pine Ridge on Monday at 4 p.m. It will be filmed as part of their documentary.

Gwen Florio

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This entry was posted on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 4:51 pm and is filed under Law and Order, Oglala Lakota, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 comments so far

GRAY WOOLF---MOHAWK
 1 

SEKOH OR HELLO :FROM GRAWOOLF A MOHAWK ELDER,I AM 73 AND SOON ANOTHER OLDER.THIS STORY REALLY HURTS MY SPIRIT TO SEE,OUR PEOPLE TURNING AGAINST THEIR OWN.HAS THEIR HEARTS BEEN DARKEN TO THE POINT THAT WE TURNED OUR BACKS ON THE GREAT CREATOR FATHER.I PRAY THAT THE GREAT SPIRIT GOD, FORGIVES THESE GRANDSONS FOR WHAT THEY DID TO THEIR OWN GRANDFATHER DOUGLAS WHITE.A BLESSED MAN AND. THAT THEY RELEASE THE ELDER A.S.A.P. TO SPEND WHAT TIME HE HAS LEFT HERE ON MOTHER EARTH,WITH HIS LAKOTA PEOPLE.THIS MAN HAS BEEN GIVEN SO MUCH WISDOM TO SHARE.BLESS YOU MY BROTHER AND YOUR IN MY PRAYERS.

YOUR BROTHER IN CHRIST
GRAY WOOLF
>>>>>>—————————->

October 30th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Peggy
 2 

This also hurts my heart. For people to go against their own and to use the children in this way, and to hurt an elder. My dad went through some of this (my brother insinuated there was something abnormal between my dad and my 3 yr old), but didn’t press charges…just made a lot of trouble!! I hope this woman can live with herself and what she’s put this great man through.

November 15th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
NAKIWIZI
 3 

I know the true man and he is very true in all that he ever done when it came to ceremonies. And all that everyone has ever said about you lose that when you go to prison, well they were wrong only because you could see and fell the true power of Tunkasila when he prayed. So you see people you all lose part of that connection, when you lose him. Trueness is hard to come by. Always In Spirit

November 25th, 2009 at 1:32 am
corina sitting bear
 4 

My name is Corina Sitting Bear and i am Douglas White granddaughter. Daughter of his only daughter. and i would like to ay that he is now resting. and i am truely hurt that he is gone. my children his great great grandchilden didn’t get to meet him. and always wanted to meet him.now my grandfather is gone and they will never get to meet him. he will forever be loved.

December 11th, 2009 at 2:16 pm

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