Monday, August 9, 2010

Bob Satiacum Puyallup tribal leader, convicted felon

I ripped this off completely, from Wikipedia:

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"Robert (Bob) Satiacum (1929– March 25, 1991) was Puyallup tribal leader, convicted felon, and an advocate of native treaty fishing rights in the United States. He was convicted of attempted murder and other charges in 1982, but fled to Canada to avoid a prison term. He was later convicted of child molestation in Canada in 1989.

"Satiacum was a 1947 graduate of Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington, where he was a star athlete. He first came to the public attention in 1954, when he was arrested for illegally fishing in the Puyallup River in Tacoma, Washington. Satiacum was convicted, but the Washington State Supreme Court overturned the conviction. This led to years of legal wranglings over the issue, as well as to "fish-ins" by Satiacum and his cadre of celebrity supporters (most notably Marlon Brando, who was arrested with him on March 2, 1964).

"This ultimately culminated in the historic Boldt Decision, which held that treaties signed with native tribes and the federal government in the 1850s entitled the tribes to fifty percent of the total fish harvest.

"Satiacum was prominent the 1970 action at Seattle's Fort Lawton that resulted in the creation of United Indians of All Tribes and ultimately of the Daybreak Star Cultural Center.

"In the 1980s, Satiacum ran afoul of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for allegedly selling cigarettes illegally. He was convicted, but fled to Canada before he could be sent to prison. Satiacum was re-arrested in Canada but in 1987, he became the first U.S. citizen to be granted refugee status in Canada. This decision was later reversed by the Federal Court of Canada.

"He died in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1991, following his arrest on a warrant."
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I met Bob Satiacum in 1981. I spoke with him. I shook his hand.

I was fresh from the service. I was dating a very attractive girl who introduced me to her friends from school who she had known most her life. I became a part of that group.

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