He stated, “Among other inconsistencies, this result ignored the fact that an officer had lied under oath during the investigation by failing.
To disclose that he had seen the deliberate killing of a ten-year-old child who was escaping from Wounded Knee.” The massacre site served as a focal point for Indigenous rights activists.
A focal point in the struggle for Indigenous rights would be Wounded Knee. It was the scene of a 71-day confrontation between federal authorities and American Indian Movement members in 1973,
During which two tribe members were murdered and one federal agent was gravely injured. As the standoff continued, the incident brought attention to Native American problems,
Particularly at the 1973 Oscars. In her address on behalf of Marlon Brando, Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather faced jeers and mockery throughout the event.
She claimed that Brando was unable to receive the Academy’s Best Actor award due to “the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry.”
