Slain man’s vandalized memorial leads to reform efforts

Vandalization of slain Lakota man's roadside memorial leads to community efforts to protect future memorials

To honor her late brother’s memory, Trinity Peoples placed a roadside memorial down the hill from where he died.

The Oglala Lakota woman even got a city permit for the memorial. Family members traveled from as far as Florida to pray and install a custom-made cross. Shortly after, the cross was gone and so were the prayer ties that had been placed in nearby trees.

Since then, her brother’s cross was vandalized nine times. Each time Trinity installed a cross, it was removed.

“All I wanted was to have a place, a spot, to honor Barney’s memory. Every time I went there, the cross was removed within an hour or so,” Peoples said. “It was like Barney was being shot all over again. I felt that pain all over again.”

The repeated vandalizations of her brother’s roadside memorial led her to ask community leaders for help, but she found out the initial permit had been issued in error, and there was no way to protect the cross.

Trinity’s brother, Barney Peoples, was killed by Rapid City Police responding to a burglary call on March 26, 2022. On May 6, 2022, Peoples went to the Rapid City Public Works Department for a permit to erect a permanent cross. The permit was granted, but on March 17, Trinity found out it had been issued in error.

In fact, according to the city, none of the roadside memorials around town have permits.

“When the original concern was raised, we reviewed right-of-way permits that have been issued as far back as the limits of our tracking software would allow and found no other instances of the Public Works Department issuing a permit for this type of occupancy of the right-of-way,” said Shannon Truax, Public Works executive coordinator, in an email. “I can confirm that those memorials were not issued a permit by the Public Works Department.”

According to a city ordinance, “No person shall erect or maintain any building, fence, sign or structure upon any public right-of-way or upon any public property.”

Peoples recruited the help of James “Magaska” Swan, a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and also of Sicangu Lakota descent, who has been a community advocate for decades.

“I couldn’t understand why someone would do that (vandalize),” Peoples said. “All I wanted was a memorial site, and we couldn’t even have that without it being destroyed or removed, even when I had the permit.”

Swan, who is the founder of the nonprofit activist organization United Urban Warrior Society, called the police to file a report on the memorial’s vandalization; however, since the permit was invalid, nothing could be done.

Community members can erect their own roadside memorials, but the city can’t provide permits. So if anything happens to the memorials, they’re not protected.

On June 27, Swan spoke to the Public Works Committee, which oversees the granting of roadside permits for other situations, regarding his concerns and later was able to meet with a city council representative. Swan said that the new mayor’s inauguration and other changes within city government may delay efforts to draft any amendments to city codes, but all of the city council members he’s spoken with have been in favor of some type of resolution.

“We have a permit for everything else in town, so it just makes sense,” Swan said.

The city acknowledged the permit was issued in error and refunded the $105 that Peoples had spent on permit fees.

“We understand the family’s desire to create a tribute in honor of their loved one. The city does offer a program to help families create a lasting remembrance through the placement of memorial trees, plaques and benches within the city’s park system,” Truax said.

Swan said that toward the end of December, a City Council discussion to protect future memorials should happen.

“Once we make it a permittable thing, if someone tears out a memorial, the police can fine them for destruction of property,” he said.

Dateline:

RAPID CITY, S.D.