United States Ninth Circuit

Because Kennewick Man's 9,000-year-old remains have not been shown to be related to a presently existing tribe, people or culture, they are not "Native American" for purposes of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Plaintiffs-scientists may proceed to study the remains pursuant to the Archaeological Resources Protection Act.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/04/2004
• Published 02/04/2004

Judges

• GOULD, Circuit Judge:, Before ALDISERT,GRABER, and GOULD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Thomas P. Schlosser and Rob Roy Smith, Morisset, Schlosser, Jozwiak & McGaw, Seattle, Washington, Melissa Campobasso, Nespelem, Washington, for intervenor-appellant Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation., Naomi Stacy, Pendleton, Oregon, for intervenor-appellant Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation., David J. Cummings, Lapwai, Idaho, for intervenor-appellant Nez Perce Tribe., Thomas Zeilman and Tim Weaver, Toppenish, Washington, for intervenor-appellant Yakama Nation., Joseph P. Siofele, Pro Se, Moreno Valley, California, appellant., Bradley K. Baker, Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur, LLP, Columbus, Ohio, for the amicus Ohio Archaeological Council., S. Shawn Stephens, Locke Liddell & Sapp, LLP, Houston, Texas;  Joe H. Thrash, Assistant Attorney General, Austin, Texas, for the amicus Texas Historical Commission., Walter Echo-Hawk, Native AmericanRights Fund, Boulder, Colorado;  Jack F. Trope, Association of American Indian Affairs, Rockville, Maryland, for the amici Association of American Indian Affairs and Morning Star Institute., Michael J. Fanelli, Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C., for the amicus Society for American Archaeology., Sherry Hutt, Pro Se, Paradise Valley, Arizona, amicus., Ellis J. Neiburger, Waukegan, Illinois, for the amicus Ethnic Minority Council of America., Christopher A. Amato, Albany, New York;  Joseph J. Heath, Syracuse, New York, for the amicus Haudenosaunee Standing Committee on Burial Rules and Regulations., Dr. Andrei Simic, Pro Se, Los Angeles, California;  Dr. Harry Glynn Custred, Jr., Pro Se, Hayward, California, amici., Timothy Sandefur, Sacramento, California, for the amicus Pacific Legal Foundation., Dr. Ives Goddard, Pro Se, Washington, D.C.;   Dr. William Shipley, Pro Se, Santa Cruz, California, amici.


• For Appellees:
  
• Ellen J. Durkee,Environment & Natural Resources Division, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for the defendants-appellants., Alan L. Schneider, Portland, Oregon;  Paula A. Barran, Barran Liebman, LLP, Portland, Oregon, for the plaintiffs-appellees.