The Uncertain Fate of Tommy Santiago Howard
Convicted of killing Kite Arquette years ago, Howard faces the penitentiary despite lingering doubts about his guilt and a potential pardon effort.
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Judge Snell has ordered Tommy Santiago Howard, convicted of the killing of Kite Arquette on the reservation about two years ago, committed to the penitentiary at Walla Walla. He was sentenced to 20 years at the time of his trial last year, but had not been committed because his attorneys intended carrying the case to the United States supreme court. The matter was dropped by them recently, hence the commitment at this time. An effort will be made to have Tommy pardoned. The jailors and many others are strongly of the opinion that he never committed the crime, and this fact, combined with his extraordinarily good behavior, has led to some consideration for his welfare. It is said that Judge Snell will sign a petition for his pardon. Howard is reported to be worth about $20,000.
“The jailors and many others are strongly of the opinion that he never committed the crime.”
This case highlights the systemic issues faced by Indigenous individuals within the turn-of-the-century Washington legal system. The skepticism of the jailers regarding the conviction suggests deep, localized distrust of the prosecution's narrative, a precursor to modern conversations about wrongful convictions and institutional bias.
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