Justice and political power in the Plains
From an MMIP plea deal to an Indigenous gubernatorial campaign, our stories this week explore pending legal and election decisions
Plea agreement could scrub murder charge in North Dakota MMIP case
Derick Wilkinson is charged with second degree murder for the 2024 death of Alexia De La Cerda
By Jolan Kruse
More than a year after a security camera captured Derick Wilkinson allegedly murdering his girlfriend in White Shield, North Dakota, he signed a plea deal that, if approved, would scrub his murder charge.
Native political organizer and activist running for South Dakota governor
Candidate Allison Renville stresses importance of restoring trust between tribes and the state
Allison Renville, political organizer and activist from the Lake Traverse Reservation, announced her 2026 South Dakota governor campaign in October. With deep ties to South Dakota, she told Buffalo’s Fire she feels a sense of responsibility for the state she grew up in and wants to bring a fresh face and new hope to South Dakotans in the upcoming election.
The Daily Spark – quick, must-read micro stories to start your day
Our Daily Spark feature delivers news summaries each day to give you a quick overview of current events in Indian Country. The format prioritizes brevity, providing key updates in short, digestible summaries. This makes it a valuable resource for quickly grasping important developments on a broad range of issues affecting Indigenous communities.
Here are some of the stories you may have missed this week:
Staggering coverage on the Wilkinson plea deal. The fact that video evidence and a murder charge could be negotiated down exposes how Indigenous victims face a completley different justice standard. I saw similar patterns when working with tribal legal advocacy, where prosecutors systematically undercharged cases involving Native women. If this plea goes thru, it sends a brutal message about whose life gets valued in these negotiations.