The County of Mendocino provides law enforcement on the Round Valley Indian Reservation by arrangement with the US Government. Relations between law enforcement agents and reservation residents had never been cordial, but hidden resentments and what some feel was racist law enforcement flared into serious conflict in 1995 following the killings of two residents and a sheriff's deputy. CLMP began investigating incidents on the reservation several days later and continues to do so today. You can read the following material straight through, or use the links to see those aspects of most interest to you. |
Background of the Bear Lincoln Case
Updates From Our Newsletter Section
Three People Killed by Gunfire
on the Round Valley Reservation
On April 14,1995, three homicides occurred in the rural Mendocino County areas of
Covelo and the adjacent Round Valley Indian Reservation. On that afternoon, an Indian
man by the name of Gene Britton was fatally shot, allegedly by Arlys Peters, another
Indian resident of Round Valley.
Numerous Mendocino County sheriff's deputies, and officers of the California Highway
Patrol and other police agencies responded to Covelo to investigate the shooting
of Mr. Britton and apprehend Arylis Peters. During the search for Arylis Peters,
two deputies set up a surveillance position off a rural dirt road on the reservation. At
approximately 9:00pm an incident happened which left Arylis Peters' brother, Leonard
'Acorn' Peters and a Mendocino County Sheriff's deputy, Bob Davis, dead.
The actual facts of what happened that night are in dispute. The sheriff's department
is accusing Eugene 'Bear' Lincoln, of shooting the police officer and starting the
shoot out. The defense for the accused says Bear and Leonard were ambushed by the
cops, who killed Leonard, thinking he was the suspect they were looking for, and then
they tried to kill Bear. They suggest that the officer may have been killed in "friendly
fire" as his partner, Dennis Miller, tripped and fell while he was firing his M16.
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The Bear Lincoln Manhunt
After the officer was killed the police went into a frenzy. More reinforcements were
called in and a massive man hunt was initiated, with helicopters, deputies from neighboring counties, Highway Patrol, FBI, DEA , U.S. Forest Service and others. In the days and weeks following the three deaths, the authorities did what Mendocino Deputy
Burl Murray called "good old fashioned police work". Others called it civil rights abuses. Friends and family of Eugene Bear Lincoln, believed he was running for his life. Bear was featured on TV's Americas
Most Wanted, and the governor of California issued a $100,000.00 reward for his capture.
The police were frustrated because he escaped their intensive search and they seemed
determined to harass the residents of Round Valley and Covelo until someone told
them where Bear was hiding out.
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CLMP Volunteers in Round Valley
In response to on-going reports of widespread police abuses happening in Round Valley during the manhunt, Civil Liberties Monitoring Project volunteers went to Covelo/Round Valley to see what was
happening and see what we could do to help. We met with local people and tribal
members who felt their rights were trampled on by the police. CLMP began helping coordinate
and collect declarations documenting illegal searches, harassment, intimidation and
physical abuses by the police.
On May 28,1995. San Francisco attorney Dennis Cunningham, came to a meeting in Round Valley, to talk with people who had civil rights complaints. After hearing everything, Dennis said he would be willing to help pursue a civil rights lawsuit for the people. CLMP has been coordinating with Dennis Cunningham, forwarding the declarations to him. These declarations became the basis for the civil rights claim which was submitted to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors on October 13,1995. and subsequently rejected. The claim will be filed with the courts as a class action civil rights lawsuit in 1996.
CLMP has attended numerous gatherings and meetings in Round Valley since April, with
tribal members and representatives from the California Council of Tribal Governments
and representatives from various government agencies including the Bureau of Indian
Affairs( BIA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI). The
Round Valley Tribal Council was invited, but never attended any of these meetings.
In June, the Round Valley Indians for Justice was formed. The people were asking
for outside intervention to provide equal protection for all the tribal members, and for
an investigation into the shooting of Leonard Peters, and the police harassment and
abuses following that incident.
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The FBI Investigates Civil Rights Charges
In July, the FBI sent a team of 10 agents to the reservation to meet and individually
interview any tribal members or residents of Round Valley/Covelo who had a complaint. Some of the people who had complaints met with the FBI, during what seemed like a hasty investigation. A report was said to have been written, but no one has been able to get a copy of that report.
On August 16,1995, Bear Lincoln surrendered to authorities in San Francisco at the
law office of Tony Sierra, saying "Leonard Peters and myself were ambushed by police.
I'm here to prove my innocence in court."
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Appeals to the Mendocino Board of Supervisors
People from Round Valley and other concerned people had spoken to the Mendocino Board of Supervisors in May, asking for help. On November 14,1995 the Round Valley Indians for Justice (707-893-8089), their supporters and their attorney, testified before
the Mendocino Board of Supervisors for two hours. They recounted the events of the
year and expressed a concern that the Sheriff was not providing them with protection
from the violence being inflicted upon their families. They have asked that the
Supervisors give a vote of no-confidence in the Sheriff, and that the Board call for another agency to assume law enforcement powers on the reservation. The first steps were taken to launch a recall of the Sheriff. Some tribal members feel that a congressional investigation needs to happen. The Board did not respond formally.
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"Pink" Peters is Shot
There have been continuing allegations of police cover up and lack of equal protection.
There have been more shooting incidents on the reservation since the April homicides,
including the October shooting of a brother to Leonard Peters, allegedly by the son of Gene Britton. Elvin 'Pink' Peters was shot in both legs while standing on
the side of the road. The police investigation and response has led to no arrests
even though there were witnesses who identified the vehicle and some of the shooters.
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Bullets and Fires in the November Night
Another night of gunfire in November brought large numbers of police into Round Valley, in response to a call from the Britton family, who's house was hit by gunfire. Other families have asked for protection and assistance, but apparently the police are
only willing to provide services for who they choose. Police actions, following
the night of gunfire, including vehicle stops and searches, residence searches with
and without a search warrant, and the arrests of two people for "interfering" with
the search of a residence, are going to be the beginning of a new claim. The next night November 10th, the house of the eldest brother of the Peters family, Coyote Fred Downey, burnt to the ground. Coyote and his son escaped with moderate burns. No police were available to investigate the fire.
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Projects Underway:
The situation in Round Valley is ongoing . CLMP plans to continue to monitor and
document the questionable incidents and to work with attorneys and tribal members
to bring these injustices forward.
Continuing Documentation
CLMP volunteers are gathering evidence of police abuse of civil rights in connection
with the Round Valley events. The valley is remote, entailing a 4 hour roundtrip from our Redway offices, and travel expenses need to be covered. Donations should be marked "Round Valley Travel".
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If you want to help either project with time or money please follow this link for information about contacting us.
Sources of Further Information
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- On the Net
- The Albion Monitor has a very complete feature on the Round Valley situation as of the publication date Sep 2, 1995. The article, like the reality, goes far beyond the civil rights claims we are investigating. This is in the free section of this subscription site. Take a look around while you are there, maybe you'll want to subscribe. Authors: Nicolas Wilson, Mark Heiman, & Jeff Elliot.
- Nick also recommends The Mendocino Native Oral History Project which he says is entirely on line here. This is good for background, as well as interesting in its own right.
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- Print
- The Anderson Valley Advertiser. Probably the best starting place is the reporting of Mark Heimann in this weekly from Booneville, California. The AVA's coverage of Round Valley far surpasses that of all other print media. (AVA, POB 459, Booneville, Ca 95415. 707-895-3016. Fax 707-895-3355.)
- The New Settler Interview, a monthly magazine published in Mendocino County, has some excellent in-depth interviews with Cindy Pickett, widow of Leonard Picket (Issue #91, July -Aug 95); and with Edwina Lincoln. Look in the late 1995 issues.
Contact: Beth Bosk, New Settler Interview, POB 702, Mendocino, Ca 95460. 707-937-5703.
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- Audio
- KMUD: Excellent material has been broadcast on this public station in Garberville, California. Estelle Fennel is the reporter who has headed KMUD's reports. KMUD: 707-923-2605 newsline. Snail mail to: KMUD, POB 135, Redway, Ca 95560.
- CLMP: Bonnie Blackberry has a taped interview that she and ED Denson did with Coyote on the CLMP show on KMUD. Reach her at CLMP, 707-923-4646. Email: edenson@asis.com. Snail mail: CLMP, POB 544, Redway, Ca 95560.
- KZYX : Additional audio material may be available from KZYX, Philo, California. Gordon Johnson has done much of their coverage, and they broadcast live a forum presented in late 1995 at which all of the groups involved made presentations except law enforcement agencies and their allies.
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- Additional sources
- Round Valley Indians For Justice was formed in the wake of the Bear Lincoln manhunt. Their spokesperson, Cora Simmons, is a long time resident of Round Valley and has first hand experience of many of the problems. Contact number: 707-983-8200.
- The Santa Rosa Press Democrat, which is inexplicably not on the net, did extensive coverage of the County Sheriff's point of view in April 1995 when Deputy Davis was killed and the Bear Lincoln manhunt got underway. Be especially sure to see the reporting on the funeral of Deputy Davis. It represents the high water mark of the law enforcement show of force which led to the abuses we are investigating, and highlights their shabby treatment of the family of Leonard Peters who they killed in the same incident in which Deputy Davis was killed. At the time of Davis's funeral, Peters' family could not even see his corpse much less bury it.
- The Ukiah Daily Journal, and the Willits News both have original coverage of events.
- The Redwood Record (of Garberville) also did original coverage, especially the articles by Gentry Anders. The Record went out of business in late 1995, but the material should be available through the Humboldt Beacon of Fortuna, California. (Another paper in the same small chain).
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