Raymond Yellow Thunder
Encyclopedia
Raymond Yellow Thunder was an Oglala Sioux, born in Kyle, South Dakota
. He is notable for the controversy
and racial tension behind his death.
, and had six other siblings. Yellow Thunder grew up in relative poverty
, and was noted in his reservation school to be an average student, a good athlete, and the best artist in the school. He was also gifted in breaking horses, which allowed him to work as a ranch-hand in his adult years.
Yellow Thunder eventually pursued work at Gordon, Nebraska
as a ranch hand
. He developed alcoholism
and had numerous encounters with the Gordon Police for public drunkenness
. It was noted that he was not violent, and would often request a cell at the police department to sleep for the night.
Yellow Thunder, as they had discussed “busting an Indian” earlier in the night. They proceeded to strip Yellow Thunder of his pants and undergarments and shoved him into the trunk of their car. Jeanette Thompson was present, but did not actively partake in the assault or kidnapping
.
The Hares, Lutter, and Bayliss took Yellow Thunder to the American Legion Club. There, the still half naked Native American
was shoved into the hall, where patrons briefly gawked at the spectacle. Though offered help by employees of the club, Yellow Thunder rejected assistance and left the club alone.
Later that night, the Hares and group found Yellow Thunder again. Allegedly concerned with the cold weather and Yellow Thunder’s lack of clothing, they again kidnapped him, retrieved the clothing from the used car parking lot
they had found him in, and at a Laundromat
, allowed Yellow Thunder to leave. Yellow Thunder then made his way to the police station
, where he requested a cell to pass the night. The following day, February 13, 1972, Yellow Thunder was found by a Sioux
boy named George Ghost Dog. After an exchange in which Yellow Thunder explained “I got beat up by some white guys”, Ghost Dog departed. This was the last time Raymond Yellow Thunder was seen alive, as it is believed a few days later, he died on the front seat of a car in a used car lot. The autopsy would later show that he had died of subdural hematoma
, caused by blunt trauma
to his forehead above his right eye.
and false imprisonment
. Thompson was also charged with false imprisonment. Lutter’s charges of manslaughter were eventually dropped in exchange for a testimony against the other defendants. All five defendants posted their bail
. Thompson’s charges were later dropped as it was later decided that she did not actively partake in the crimes.
Upon hearing rumors perpetuated by newspapers and suspicious Indians that Raymond Yellow Thunder had been forced to dance naked at the American Legion Club, torture
d and castrated
before killed, the American Indian Movement
took it upon themselves to protest for justice. AIM vowed to pursue justice and gave demonstrations in the city against the brutalization of Native Americans, with Yellow Thunder at the center of the demonstrations. The rumors surrounding Yellow Thunder’s death were eventually dispelled by a second autopsy
. Leslie and Melvin Hare were eventually convicted and sentenced to 6 years with $500 fine, and 2 years with $500 fine respectively. AIM, incensed by the meager sentences, started a protest against the decision. AIM’s involvement in the Raymond Yellow Thunder case would lead AIM to its breakthrough onto the national scene and public consciousness.
"Death of Indian Sparks Protest." New York Times 8 May 1972: 37. Proquest. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.
Engle, Michael J. Thunder On the Prairie: The Raymond Yellow Thunder Case and the Rise of the American Indian Movement. Diss. The University of Texas El Paso, 1997. ELibrary. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.
"Jury in Nebraska Convicts 2 Brothers in Death of Indian." New York Times 27 May 1972: 60. Proquest. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.
Magnuson, Stew. The Death of Raymond Yellow Thunder: and Other True Stories from the Nebraska-Pine Ridge Border Towns. Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech UP, 2008. Print.
Kyle, South Dakota
Kyle is a census-designated place in Shannon County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 846 at the 2010 census...
. He is notable for the controversy
Controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
and racial tension behind his death.
Life
Raymond Yellow Thunder was the grandson of Chief American HorseAmerican Horse
Wašíčuŋ Tȟašúŋke or American Horse was a chieftain of the Oglala Lakota during the Sioux Wars of the 1870s. He was also the nephew of the elder American Horse and son-in-law of Red Cloud....
, and had six other siblings. Yellow Thunder grew up in relative poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, and was noted in his reservation school to be an average student, a good athlete, and the best artist in the school. He was also gifted in breaking horses, which allowed him to work as a ranch-hand in his adult years.
Yellow Thunder eventually pursued work at Gordon, Nebraska
Gordon, Nebraska
Gordon is a city in Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census.- Geography :Gordon is located at ....
as a ranch hand
Ranch hand
A Ranch hand is a manual laborer on a ranch, such as a cowboy.Ranch hand may also refer to:*Operation Ranch Hand, a US Air Force operation during the Vietnam war*Ranch Hand Truck Accessories, an American manufacturer of heavy duty truck accessories...
. He developed alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and had numerous encounters with the Gordon Police for public drunkenness
Public intoxication
Public intoxication, also known as "drunk and disorderly", is a summary offense in many countries rated to public cases or displays of drunkenness...
. It was noted that he was not violent, and would often request a cell at the police department to sleep for the night.
Death
On February 12, 1972, Raymond Yellow Thunder was wandering the streets of Gordon intoxicated, as he did regularly. The brothers Leslie and Melvin Hare, along with friends Bernard Lutter, and Robert Bayliss found Yellow Thunder in a used car lot. Under the influence of alcohol, the Hares and Bayliss proceeded to assaultAssault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
Yellow Thunder, as they had discussed “busting an Indian” earlier in the night. They proceeded to strip Yellow Thunder of his pants and undergarments and shoved him into the trunk of their car. Jeanette Thompson was present, but did not actively partake in the assault or kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
.
The Hares, Lutter, and Bayliss took Yellow Thunder to the American Legion Club. There, the still half naked Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
was shoved into the hall, where patrons briefly gawked at the spectacle. Though offered help by employees of the club, Yellow Thunder rejected assistance and left the club alone.
Later that night, the Hares and group found Yellow Thunder again. Allegedly concerned with the cold weather and Yellow Thunder’s lack of clothing, they again kidnapped him, retrieved the clothing from the used car parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
they had found him in, and at a Laundromat
Self-service laundry
A self-service laundry is a facility where clothes are washed and dried. They are known in the United Kingdom as launderettes or laundrettes, and in the United States, Canada, and Australia as laundromats or washaterias...
, allowed Yellow Thunder to leave. Yellow Thunder then made his way to the police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
, where he requested a cell to pass the night. The following day, February 13, 1972, Yellow Thunder was found by a Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
boy named George Ghost Dog. After an exchange in which Yellow Thunder explained “I got beat up by some white guys”, Ghost Dog departed. This was the last time Raymond Yellow Thunder was seen alive, as it is believed a few days later, he died on the front seat of a car in a used car lot. The autopsy would later show that he had died of subdural hematoma
Subdural hematoma
A subdural hematoma or subdural haematoma , also known as a subdural haemorrhage , is a type of haematoma, a form of traumatic brain injury. Blood gathers within the outermost meningeal layer, between the dura mater, which adheres to the skull, and the arachnoid mater, which envelops the brain...
, caused by blunt trauma
Blunt trauma
In medical terminology, blunt trauma, blunt injury, non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma refers to a type of physical trauma caused to a body part, either by impact, injury or physical attack; the latter usually being referred to as blunt force trauma...
to his forehead above his right eye.
Legacy
The Hare brothers Leslie and Melvin, Robert Bayliss, Bernard Lutter, and Jeanette Thompson were arrested as suspects for the death of Yellow Thunder. The Hares, Bayliss, and Lutter were charged with manslaughterManslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and false imprisonment
False imprisonment
False imprisonment is a restraint of a person in a bounded area without justification or consent. False imprisonment is a common-law felony and a tort. It applies to private as well as governmental detention...
. Thompson was also charged with false imprisonment. Lutter’s charges of manslaughter were eventually dropped in exchange for a testimony against the other defendants. All five defendants posted their bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
. Thompson’s charges were later dropped as it was later decided that she did not actively partake in the crimes.
Upon hearing rumors perpetuated by newspapers and suspicious Indians that Raymond Yellow Thunder had been forced to dance naked at the American Legion Club, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d and castrated
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
before killed, the American Indian Movement
American Indian Movement
The American Indian Movement is a Native American activist organization in the United States, founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by urban Native Americans. The national AIM agenda focuses on spirituality, leadership, and sovereignty...
took it upon themselves to protest for justice. AIM vowed to pursue justice and gave demonstrations in the city against the brutalization of Native Americans, with Yellow Thunder at the center of the demonstrations. The rumors surrounding Yellow Thunder’s death were eventually dispelled by a second autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
. Leslie and Melvin Hare were eventually convicted and sentenced to 6 years with $500 fine, and 2 years with $500 fine respectively. AIM, incensed by the meager sentences, started a protest against the decision. AIM’s involvement in the Raymond Yellow Thunder case would lead AIM to its breakthrough onto the national scene and public consciousness.
Further reading
"2d Autopsy of Dead Sioux Finds No Torture Evidence." The Washington Post [Washington D.C.] 10 Mar. 1972: 12. Proquest. Web. 18 Sept. 2010."Death of Indian Sparks Protest." New York Times 8 May 1972: 37. Proquest. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.
Engle, Michael J. Thunder On the Prairie: The Raymond Yellow Thunder Case and the Rise of the American Indian Movement. Diss. The University of Texas El Paso, 1997. ELibrary. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.
"Jury in Nebraska Convicts 2 Brothers in Death of Indian." New York Times 27 May 1972: 60. Proquest. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.
Magnuson, Stew. The Death of Raymond Yellow Thunder: and Other True Stories from the Nebraska-Pine Ridge Border Towns. Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech UP, 2008. Print.