Eugene Little Coyote facts for kids

Eugene Little Coyote was an important leader for the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. He served as the president of the Northern Cheyenne people from 2004 to 2007.

|-style="text-align: center;" | width="30%" |Preceded by
Geri Small | width="40%" style="text-align: center;" |Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council President
November 2004–December 2007 | width="30%" |Succeeded by
Rick Wolfname
(interim president) |-

Eugene Little Coyote: A Leader

Eugene Little Coyote was chosen by the Northern Cheyenne people to be their president. He won the election in November 2004. He took over from the previous president, Geri Small. As president, he was responsible for leading the tribal government.

Serving His People

The president of a tribal nation helps make decisions for their community. This includes managing important programs and representing the tribe. Eugene Little Coyote worked to serve the Northern Cheyenne people during his time in office.

A Time of Change

In 2007, a disagreement happened between President Little Coyote and the vice president, Rick Wolfname. Because of this conflict, the Northern Cheyenne tribal council decided to remove Little Coyote from his position. The tribal council is a group of leaders who make rules for the tribe.

The Northern Cheyenne Constitutional Court later said that removing him was against their rules. This means the court believed the action was not allowed by their laws. However, officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) stepped in. The BIA is a part of the United States government that works with Native American tribes. Regional director Ed Parisian and later Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Carl J. Artman overruled the tribal court's decision. This was a big moment because it was unusual for the BIA to get so directly involved in a tribal government's decisions.

Legal Outcome

After these events, Eugene Little Coyote faced some legal charges. However, on August 14, 2008, a jury heard his case. A jury is a group of citizens who listen to evidence and make a decision. The jury decided that Eugene Little Coyote was not guilty of the charges. Their decision was unanimous, meaning everyone on the jury agreed.

Later Elections

Even after these events, Eugene Little Coyote continued to be involved in tribal politics. He ran for president again in the April 2008 election. He was a write-in candidate, which means people could vote for him by writing his name on the ballot. He also ran in the primary election on September 30, 2008.

References

• Eugene Little Coyote takes over as Northern Cheyenne tribal president
• Tribal standoff ends with arrest