OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The man at the center of a case that turned Oklahoma’s criminal justice system upside down is going to get a new trial.
Jimcy McGirt’s case led to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that much of eastern Oklahoma is still tribal land.
On July 9, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the Muscogee (Creek) reservation was never disestablished. It’s a ruling that has a big impact on the state’s criminal justice system.
“For anybody that has an Indian card, a CDIB card, a certified degree of Indian blood,” Native American law attorney Robert Gifford told KFOR. “If they are within the Creek Nation, the state of Oklahoma had no jurisdiction over them.”
As it stands, these decisions alter the State’s legal jurisdiction and law enforcement capabilities on potentially a significant portion of eastern Oklahoma, creating uncertainty for many Oklahomans.
McGirt was previously convicted in 1997 for the rape and sexual abuse of a 4-year-old girl. He was sentenced to serve two 500-year sentences.
However, that was before the Supreme Court’s decision.
This week, jury selection will begin for his new trial, which will be held at the federal level.
The trial is expected to last three days and will include testimony from seven people, including the alleged victim.