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Public shaming by police hurts Lakota family





Photo by Richie RichardsLariet Comes’ relatives feel they are all affected by publishing Comes’ arrest records.

Photo by Richie RichardsLariet Comes’ relatives feel they are all affected by publishing Comes’ arrest records.

RAPID CITY – In “trying to publicly humiliate” Lariat Comes by publishing his arrest record this past week, the Rapid City Police Department had provided an example of a major failure of the judicial system in Pennington County. 

By providing local news outlets with a list of Comes’ 77 arrests over the last 8 years, which was then posted on social media pages and gave local residents an opportunity to provide commentary and discriminatory remarks regarding the Lakota man’s life and future. 

LARIAT COMES

LARIAT COMES

Over the last eight years, Lariat Comes of Rapid City has been arrested 27 times for drinking in public, 17 times for misdemeanor theft, 14 times for trespassing, with several arrests for failure to vacate, misdemeanor assault, and threatening law enforcement officers. 

One of the more coarse social media comments found on the KELO Land News’ Facebook page included a comment which stated, “Stand him up in front of a firing squad. One bullet is cheaper than 77 fxxxing (sic) arrests…” and another person posted, “If a native (sic) American is convicted of a crime they should be sent to the reservation. If they leave the reservation they should be thrown in the pen.” 

Although these statements are hateful and refer to Comes’ unique situation, they are suggestive of sending a whole race of people back to their traditional homelands for breaking the law. Deportation within the borders of the United States is not federally possible and calling for an execution by firing squad is another form of the ignorance which continues to permeate the social fabric of Rapid City. The most serious of charges on the published list is two 1st degree robberies, one 2nd degree robbery, and making threats to law enforcement officers during arrests, usually while intoxicated. 

On Thursday, January 7, after being picked up on a warrant for 2nd degree petty theft which occurred on December 11, 2015, Lariat Comes went to court in Pennington County for his most recent arrest. Comes was being charged for a theft at a Common Cents convenience store. The cost of the item stolen was $1.99 according to court testimony. Comes had plead guilty in court and the presiding judge had agreed with the state’s attorney’s recommendation of 10 days in jail. No fines or probation period was given.

The judge had originally wanted to give Comes 30 days in jail because of his habitual criminal activities in Rapid City, saying, “At least there will be 30 days where the shops will be safe.” But the judge soon agreed that regardless of the price of the item stolen, this was still a crime. “I don’t even want to punish you. I just want to protect Common Cents.” As Comes had already been in jail for 6 days, following court he would finish serving the remaining 4 days. This is called “credit for time served.”

Native Sun News was contacted by Lariat Comes’ paternal aunt, Diane Comes and her husband Sherman Bear Ribs regarding their family member. Diane Comes felt the releasing of her nephew’s arrest record and having her family name “drug through the mud on Facebook” wasn’t necessary. She realizes Lariat’s situation but feels the state and county should be doing more to help him with his addictions and mental health issues. The concerned aunt would like for Lariat Comes to receive psychiatric evaluations and in particular she has concerns he may have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

After court on Thursday, Diane and Sherman had gone to Lariat’s public defender’s office to voice their concerns and provide information regarding their nephew’s situation. The couple left the public defender’s office disappointed, telling Native Sun News, “They said there was nothing they could do. It’s not like it used to be. They won’t send him to treatment because we asked. The judge needs to order it.” 

Diane Comes in discussing her family’s background provided historical photos and newspaper clippings of their history. Lariat Comes (originally Comes Out Holy before being shortened to Comes) is a direct lineal descendant of Lakota Chief Two Sticks, who was arrested and publicly hanged in Deadwood in the late 19th century. 

Days before the December 28, 1894 public hanging of Lakota Chief Two Sticks in Deadwood, an announcement was published locally inviting residents to purchase tickets to be part of the audience in the enclosure built for the hanging. 

On the morning of the hanging, over 200 people had gathered and those without tickets had clambered up the sheds and stables nearby for a view. After singing a death song and prayer song, Two Sticks was hung on the cold December morning to jeers and cheers from audience members. 

Now, 121 years later, local police departments continue to damage the reputations of family names, personal lives and tribal citizens of the area by publicly running their names through the mud of Rapid Creek, according to the family of Lariat Comes. Comes was released from jail on the morning of Jan. 11. Diane Comes and Sherman Bear Ribs returned to Native Sun News to discuss their concerns. 

When asked what she thought of Thursday’s court proceedings, Diane Comes said, “I didn’t like it that they let him walk again. It doesn’t seem like no one cares.” The aunt mentioned this is a “life or death” situation for her nephew as she feels it is likely that Lariat will “drink himself to death” if nothing is done soon.  They would like to see a more proactive approach from local addiction recovery outlets, but realize this is a choice which needs to be made by Lariat as the court will not step in and place him in long-term sentences or mandatory treatment center stays. 

(Contact Richie Richards at staffwriter@nsweekly.com)


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