LIFE UNDER THE AKAKA BILL -
INDIANS ASK APPEALS COURT FOR JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, May 11 - A federal appeals court was told today that it should offer 500,000 Native Americans some form of "rough justice" as a result of the federal government's acknowledged mismanagement of their trust accounts.
Attorney Dennis M. Gingold, who represents the Indians in a 13-year-old class action lawsuit, said justice for the Native American trust account beneficiaries cannot be complete because so many records of what happened to their trust lands and funds are missing.
That means some form of "rough justice" is required, Gingold said, adding that any resolution of the case must be fair.
"If not, we'll all be here another 13 years," Gingold told a three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Government lawyers said they want the case declared at an end and the Indians given nothing at all.
Full Details Here - http://www.indiantrust.com
