Murder of Wesley Bad Heart Bull facts for kids

Wesley Bad Heart Bull (June 10, 1952 – January 27, 1973) was a Native American man whose murder was the catalyst for leading to the events later known as the Wounded Knee incident.

Early life

Wesley Charles Bad Heart Bull was born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota on 10 June 1952. He was the middle brother of Verlyn Dale 'Butch' Bad Heart Bull (b. 14 July 1949) and Vincent Eli Bad Heart Bull, Jr. (b. 9 March 1955), and older brother to Trina Lynn Bad Heart Bull (b. 5 January 1959), Henry Gerald Bad Heart Bull (b. 18 May 1957), Imogene "April" Bad Heart Bull (b. 7 April 1961), Julie Ann Bad Heart Bull (b. 24 May 1964) as well as older half-brother and first cousin to Jamie Merle Bad Heart Bull (b. 30 September 1966). This was owed to the fact that after Sarah and Vincent Sr. had divorced, Sarah married her brother-in-law, Matthew "Kayo" Bad Heart Bull.

Murder

On 27 January 1973, John Wesley Bad Heart Bull was stabbed in Buffalo Gap, South Dakota by Darld Schmitz. Bad Heart Bull died from blood loss, while en route to a Hot Springs hospital.

According to Custer County authorities, some witnesses claimed that Schmitz was acting in self-defense.

Schmitz was arrested three days after and charged with second-degree murder. At the time, this was a common charge given to White people who caused the deaths of Native Americans. Schmitz plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter and spent one day in jail. He was later released on a $5,000.00 bond.

Custer Courthouse Riot

In a backlash, indigenous rights proponents became involved with the Bad Heart Bull case. In January 1973, Dennis Banks proclaimed that AIM members should gather in Rapid City, South Dakota in order to initiate a paramount campaign for civil rights. Sarah Bad Heart Bull, Wesley's mother, contacted the American Indian Movement, known more commonly by the acronym AIM, in order to demonstrate the importance of Native American lives and the disproportionate charges in light of the crime committed.

Approximately 200 American Indians turned out to protest the murder of Wesley and the lenient charge issued against Schmitz. Four members of the American Indian Movement, Russell Means, Dennis Banks, Leonard Crow Dog and Harry David Hill, who were chosen by the group as delegates to confer with the state's attorney, were initially denied entry before eventually being allowed to enter the courthouse. However, Hobart when Russell Means attempted to bring Sarah Bad Heart Bull, mother of Bad Heart Bull into the meeting, both were denied entrance into the courthouse by state troopers. The sheriff blew his whistle as a signal to 90 officers equipped with batons, who advanced upon the crowd. A riot subsequently ensued. The Indian people were confronted with a combined force of local, county, and state police tactical units, all of which were being monitored by observers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Indian people who were present at the courthouse were outnumbered four-to-one by police. As the protests at the courthouse erupted into riots, police cars and buildings were set on fire. The ensuing struggle resulted in the Custer County Courthouse and the local chamber of commerce building being set ablaze. Police cars were damaged, automobiles were burned, and rocks, wrenches, slabs of concrete and bottles were hurled at the police officers, the courthouse, and other buildings. Pop bottles filled with gasoline were thrown into the courthouse. A flare ignited the gasoline causing the courthouse to catch on fire and be severely damaged. The Custer Chamber of Commerce building located near the courthouse was set on fire and burned to the ground, which, according to Russell Means, was the result of teargas used by the police. The demonstrators also broke the front windows of a nearby Texaco gasoline station and set fire to the building. The Standard Oil bulk station was also set on fire and caused $9,000.00 in damages.

30 people of Indian descent were arrested, including Russell Means, Dennis Banks, and Sarah Bad Heart Bull, as well as being charged with riot and arson.

Sarah Bad Heart Bull was convicted of inciting a riot and was sentenced to one to five years in prison. She served five months (one source indicated six months) of her sentence before being released on bail to await a decision on her appeal.

Schmitz was acquitted of the second-degree manslaughter charge later that year by an all-White jury.

The murder of Wesley Bad Heart Bull and the subsequent second-degree involuntary charge issued to the suspect is cited as the catalyst which led the American Indian Movement to occupy Wounded Knee during the Wounded Knee Incident.

Sarah Jennie Bad Heart Bull, mother of Wesley Bad Heart Bull, died on 18 February 2013, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at the age of 83.

See also

• Raymond Yellow Thunder
• Harry Hill
• American Indian Movement
• Wounded Knee incident