Show true utes ules win rights case in federal court A small but smiling band of true utes left the courts room of federal judge willis W ritter hitter tuesday afternoon of last week after receiving a ruling in their favor we re very happy chief julius twohy and mrs etta mccurdy said after judge rit ter ruled in their favor the case involves a sentence handed down by tribal judge fred coneta against the pair on charges of malicious mis chief tor for their part in a minor insurrection last june against the US U S bureau of indian affairs tribal office at ft du chesne through legal counsel the two true utes charged a violation 0 f constitutional rights and violation of other federal regulations as the re sult suit of the tribal court which convicted them judge ritter granted a writ of habeas cor pus pug which freed the two from jail all they had received respective sentences or tines fines totaling or 80 days imprisonment chief twohy and mrs mccurdy claimed before judge ritter in a prior hearing that they were not allowed legal counsel at the tribal court and that the sentence was unjust this Is the first time the utes have been in court to determine whether their tribal proceedings are legal roosevelt attorney george stewart said bald after judge ritters decision this establishes that the federal court has jurisdiction over these indians he added mr stewart is one of the attorneys representing the true utes the me tribal court Is now a pseudo court treating them the indians as pseudo citizens when it is my contention they are full citizens in answer to a question mr stewart also stated that any similar criminal procedures undertaken by the tribal court should be subject to the same conditions 1 I will admit a legal court may be set up which can legally try the indians but it coin can only do so if and when the procedure Is set up so that the usual constitutional safeguards are granted to defend ants anta coming before it mr stewart said lie ile listed such safeguards as 1 the right to re presenta tion by counsel 2 trial by an impartial jury impartially impartial ly selected and 3 the myriads of other rights these indians have as citizens of the united states I 1 |