klamath tribal meeting ends in fight 021410

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Tribal meeting ends in fight

15 people were fighting or trying to break up fight

by LEE JUILLERAT, Herald and News 2/14/10

CHILOQUIN — Saturday’s Klamath Tribes special general council meeting was disrupted when verbal disputes led to physical fighting.

Klamath County Sheriff Tim Evinger said deputies and Oregon State Police troopers responded to the Klamath Tribes administrative auditorium after 2 p.m. Saturday when a fight broke out outside tribal offices where the council meeting was being held.

He said 50 to 70 people were at the fight scene, with about 15 people either fighting or trying to help break up the fight.

Crowd dispersed

No one involved wanted to press charges, and Evinger said the crowd quickly dispersed. He said his office may investigate possible disorderly conduct charges.

“We certainly retain the right to continue the investigation,” he said Saturday. “ From my office’s point of view, we’re not going to tolerate any violence. If there is violence, we’ll be involved.”

The special meeting was in response to a petition by 111 tribal members seeking the removal of Chairman Joe Kirk, vice chairman Joe Hobbs, and tribal board members Torina Case, Brandi Decker, Will Hatcher, Allen Foreman and Jeff Mitchell from the tribal council.

A civ il lawsuit has been filed claiming the council members disregarded actions taken Nov. 7 and 21 removing them from the tribal council.

Mitchell said emotions escalated during the meeting and he believes the disagreements will be resolved in tribal court. “Emotions ran high,” he said.

Nominations for the tribal council will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the tribal administration building. Following the election, a new board will be seated within 60 days.