Nebraska Supreme Court Decides Fate of Whiteclay Liquor Stores

Nebraska Supreme Court Decides Fate of Whiteclay Liquor Stores

Dave Domina, lawyer for the Sheridan County citizens who protested the liquor licenses, reacted to the Nebraska Supreme Court’s decision to keep the stores closed.

“Today’s Nebraska Supreme Court decision means that the shame of Whiteclay is over. It also means huge rocks have been removed from the road to recovery for many of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Nation and the Pine Ridge Reservation,”
Attorney David Domina with Frank LaMere.

Attorney David Domina with Frank LaMere after the ruling.

Citizen protests led the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission conduct a formal trial, reacted to the Nebraska Supreme Court’s decision to keep four Whiteclay beer stores closed. The ruling was made today. It remands the case to the District Court which failed to hear the case on the merits last April.

Domina added, “The Supreme Court’s ruling is on legal issues. But the underlying concern, as is so often true of the law’s technical issues, is about ending pernicious beer sales among vulnerable Native persons.”

The Sheridan County citizens who protested are: Abram Neumann, Lori Hankinson and Barb & David Vancil.

The courtroom where the final decision was delivered.

Liquor Control Commission Decision April 19, 2017.

Abram Neumann expressed the group’s excitement about the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“We see signs of change and improvement. There is optimism about the future. Whiteclay NE and Pine Ridge SD can beat alcohol addiction. There is much to do.”

The Supreme Court’s ruling permanently shuts down the beer stores which sold approximately 4 million cans of beer annually in the unincorporated community of 14 persons.

You can read the ruling here (PDF).

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