State v. Butcher

563 N.W.2d 776, 1997 Minn. App. LEXIS 589, 1997 WL 274297
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedMay 27, 1997
DocketC5-96-1076
StatusPublished
Cited by45 cases

This text of 563 N.W.2d 776 (State v. Butcher) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Butcher, 563 N.W.2d 776, 1997 Minn. App. LEXIS 589, 1997 WL 274297 (Mich. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

OPINION

RANDALL, Judge.

Appellant Leonard E. Butcher, an enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Chippewa, was charged by complaint in Clearwater County District Court with: (1) driving after cancellation in violation of Minn.Stat. § 171.24, subd. 5 (1996); (2) taking and possession of big game out of season in violation of Minn.Stat. § 97A.331, subd. 4 (1996); (3) obstructing legal process in violation of Minn. Stat. § 609.50, subds. 1(2), 2(2) (1996); and (4) transporting an uncased firearm in a motor vehicle in violation of Minn.Stat. § 97A.301, subd. 1(4), and Minn.Stat. § 97B.045, subd. 1(1) (1996). The charges stemmed from an incident occurring on October 24, 1994, on land ceded to the United States government by the White Earth Band in 1889. Appellant argues the incidents occurred on Indian land and therefore the state had no jurisdiction to enforce its laws or regulations over him.

Alternatively, appellant argues that even if the state did have jurisdiction over him, the trial court erred in imposing separate sentences for his convictions for driving after cancellation, transporting an uncased firearm, and taking deer out of season because they arose from a single behavioral incident. We affirm.

FACTS

In the early morning of October 23, 1994, Minnesota Conservation Officer Gregory Spaulding was driving south on County Road 39 in Clearwater County. This area borders the )White Earth Indian Reservation. The White Earth Reservation deer season had opened the day before. The State of Minnesota deer season opener was still two weeks away. Spaulding is responsible, in part, for patrolling on the reservation to see that hunters who were not members of the White Earth Band did not attempt to take any deer on the reservation. Spaulding was also to see that neither band nor non-band hunters attempted to take any deer off-reservation before the opening of Minnesota’s deer season.

Spaulding testified that as he was driving south on County Road 39, he passed a slow-moving blue station wagon that was traveling north. Spaulding observed that the driver of the vehicle and his two passengers were wearing red and orange clothing typical of deer hunters. The men appeared to be looking in the ditches along the side of the road, leading Spaulding to conclude the men were probably looking for deer.

Once the station wagon passed, Spaulding-pulled off onto a side road and continued to observe the station wagon. Spaulding watched the station wagon stop and sit on the side of County Road 39 for a while, back up, stop and sit again, and then turn around, heading south on County Road 39. When the station wagon passed by in front of him, Spaulding pulled out and followed it south on County Road 39. The station wagon was traveling approximately 20 miles per hour and continued to do so for about three to four minutes. Spaulding pulled up behind the station wagon after it eventually pulled over to the side of the road.

Immediately, appellant, who was driving the station wagon, got out of the vehicle and met Spaulding halfway between the two vehicles. Although appellant began speaking to him, Spaulding walked past appellant and up to the station wagon and looked inside the vehicle. On the front seat between the driver and passenger seats, Spaulding observed an uncased Savage .308 rifle. The loaded .308 clip was laying next to the rifle. Spauld-ing reached into the vehicle and took the rifle, informing appellant that the rifle was illegal because it was uncased. Appellant responded by saying that they were on tribal land and that Spaulding could not take his rifle and that Spaulding had no right to be there.

Spaulding returned to his vehicle with the rifle, checking the rifle’s action to make sure the rifle was not loaded. Appellant then *779 grabbed Spaulding by the arm and tried to take the rifle away. A brief struggle ensued, during which appellant yelled that Spaulding was not going to take his rifle. Spaulding-worked his way free and returned to his vehicle. Spaulding tossed the rifle into his vehicle and turned to face appellant, who along with his brother, had come to within a couple of feet of Spaulding. Appellant’s fists were clenched and he continued yelling at Spaulding. Fearing what might happen, Spaulding reached for his mace. Appellant and his brother backed off. Spaulding returned to his vehicle and radioed the Clear-water County Sheriffs department for assistance.

Undersheriff Lyle Colligan and Deputy Mike Erickson soon arrived at the scene. Also, John Stone, a reservation game warden, arrived later, following appellant’s request that a White Earth conservation agent be present. Appellant told the gathered officers that he was hunting for deer. He admitted to driving without a driver’s license, acknowledged that he knew his driver’s license had been cancelled, and acknowledged that he knew his rifle was uncased while laying on the seat of his car. Appellant claims that his actions were all legal because they had occurred on “reservation land.”

After consulting with Stone about the reservation boundaries, and confirming that appellant was not on the White Earth Reservation, but was on previously ceded territory, Spaulding told appellant that he would be charged for the various offenses he admitted committing. Spaulding was unable to ticket appellant at the scene because the state’s law enforcement computer system was down, but he explained that the county attorney would mail appellant the necessary paperwork.

Later, on November 8, 1994, appellant was charged with: (1) driving after cancellation, (2) taking and possessing big game out of season, (3) obstructing legal process, and (4) transporting an uncased firearm. Prior to trial, appellant sought to dismiss the charges against him, arguing that the "White Earth Band still retained hunting, fishing, and gathering rights on the four ceded townships and that the trial court had no jurisdiction to enforce the state’s laws or regulations over him. The trial court denied appellant’s motion.

A jury trial was commenced on January 16, 1996. During trial, appellant testified that he had treaty rights to hunt on the reservation, the ceded reservation land, and anywhere else he chose to hunt; that he was not hunting as he drove down County Road 39, but that had he seen a deer he probably would have taken it; that his rifle was not cased while he was transporting it; and finally, appellant stipulated that he drove that day knowing his driver’s license had been cancelled. Appellant denied grabbing Spaulding, claiming that as he went for the rifle Spaulding spun away before appellant could touch him.

After deliberating approximately one hour, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts. This appeal follows.

ISSUES

1. Whether the trial court has subject matter jurisdiction to enforce the state’s criminal, motor vehicle, and game and fish laws over lands ceded to the United States government by the White Earth Band of Chippewa in 1889.

2. Whether the trial court erred in imposing separate sentences for three of appellant’s four convictions in violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.035 (1996), which prohibits multiple sentences for offenses arising out of a single behavioral incident.

ANALYSIS

I.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
563 N.W.2d 776, 1997 Minn. App. LEXIS 589, 1997 WL 274297, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-butcher-minnctapp-1997.