from antoinette nora claypoole
editor, Wild Embers Press
editor, Wild Embers Press
SO. Why I am writing about this today?
Because for some very obvious reason, SOMEONE--who knows who--has decided to drag out old IWJ/Karen Testerman (a member of IWJ) attacks at me. They have been able to push the bad talk to the top of internet access when my name is googled, binged or yahooed....so. Hmm...you have to wonder why a group with a known affliation to a paid informant/federal operant--Serle Chapman- (see details below...or visit court documents on sidebar) - is dragging up old attacks against me.
Hmm...Well, there is a trial going on now about Annie Mae's murder, it's raining in Seattle, o, who knows. There could be a zillion off the wall reasons. And it doesn't matter why.
What does matter is that people who wonder about the attacks get to read "my side" of the story. Here, then, is a link to the reply I wrote per the SAME accusations, from six years ago: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2005/04/20/17340991.php
Six years ago a group calling themselves the "IWJ" was formed with the backing and support, amongst others, of Paul Demain (editor of an "American Indian" newspaper). This group was organized around the idea that a man named John Graham, S. Tutchone from the Yukon Territory, was guilty of killing a woman and leader of the early American Indian Movement (AIM). The woman's name is Anna Mae Pictou Aquash (1945-1975/6) and she was the topic of my first book Who Would Unbraid her Hair: the legend of annie mae.
The IWJ was convinced that they knew--thanks to Demain's years of "working" the murder case--who killed Annie Mae and decided it was John Graham. IWJ based their campaign against John Graham on an "audio tape" upon which they claimed John Graham "admitted" murdering Anna Mae. They wouldn't let Graham's Defense Committee "review" the tape, they refused my suggestion to "authenticate" it and so.
Their claims were suspect.
John Graham was fighting extradition from Canada at the time and I had arranged an interview with him believing "both" sides of the story must be told. The IWJ revealled the "tape" right around the time I interviewed Graham and subsequently IWJ decided to attack me for NOT joining their campaign against Graham. Their attacks against me were/are LIES (they are recirculating the stuff--which is why I am writing this today) based on my challenging the authenticity of their Graham"evidence", the tape and their "sources" (IWJ all along, refused to "reveal" their sources.) It wasn't until the summer of 2008 that the key player in the "tape caper"was revealled.
Still. I felt bad, at the time, for the "innocent" women who had joined the campaign, not knowing that there might be "Feds" among them...yes I felt federal agents were among people organizing/giving information to the IWJ. Just by their tactics, etc. So I wrote a rather generous and gentle reply to lies they were/are spinning.
Now. Finally. The man who "contacted" IWJ and worked with them to expose the supposed Graham"confession" is finally known. His name-- Serle Chapman, UK author. His role as a paid operant is now clear. And his connection with IWJ is apparent. Well. Here we are. Truth be told. Their source was/IS a paid FBI informant. Hmm...big surprise.
Their claims were suspect.
John Graham was fighting extradition from Canada at the time and I had arranged an interview with him believing "both" sides of the story must be told. The IWJ revealled the "tape" right around the time I interviewed Graham and subsequently IWJ decided to attack me for NOT joining their campaign against Graham. Their attacks against me were/are LIES (they are recirculating the stuff--which is why I am writing this today) based on my challenging the authenticity of their Graham"evidence", the tape and their "sources" (IWJ all along, refused to "reveal" their sources.) It wasn't until the summer of 2008 that the key player in the "tape caper"was revealled.
Still. I felt bad, at the time, for the "innocent" women who had joined the campaign, not knowing that there might be "Feds" among them...yes I felt federal agents were among people organizing/giving information to the IWJ. Just by their tactics, etc. So I wrote a rather generous and gentle reply to lies they were/are spinning.
Now. Finally. The man who "contacted" IWJ and worked with them to expose the supposed Graham"confession" is finally known. His name-- Serle Chapman, UK author. His role as a paid operant is now clear. And his connection with IWJ is apparent. Well. Here we are. Truth be told. Their source was/IS a paid FBI informant. Hmm...big surprise.
Well, as I say, six years have passed since those attacks AND my original reply. And guess what???? I was right, sadly. THERE was at least ONE federal agent working within the IWJ....and why these folks are dragging up old, erroneous accusations at me is...well. Just downright old news.
Serle Chapman was named as a "federal operant and paid informant" in documents generated by the Federal Court in Rapid City, S.D. this past 18 months. In preparation for the trial of John Graham, Chapman---who wrote MANY MANY books about Indian Country---was named as an operantand was, as I say, in direct connection with the IWJ.
O my.
The beat goes on.
PS.
And. On Tuesday, April 20, 2010, Serle Chapman testified at the trial of Richard Marshall (accused of handing off the gun that killed Anna Mae Aquash) that he, Chapman in fact did "secretly" record various members/friends of AIM and gave that information to FBI/federal investigators. (click here for news clip re: April 20th testimony). Chapman received, by the way, at LEAST $70,000 from the FBI for his work...gotta love tax dollars going to all the groovy places *~*.
Serle Chapman was named as a "federal operant and paid informant" in documents generated by the Federal Court in Rapid City, S.D. this past 18 months. In preparation for the trial of John Graham, Chapman---who wrote MANY MANY books about Indian Country---was named as an operantand was, as I say, in direct connection with the IWJ.
O my.
The beat goes on.
PS.
And. On Tuesday, April 20, 2010, Serle Chapman testified at the trial of Richard Marshall (accused of handing off the gun that killed Anna Mae Aquash) that he, Chapman in fact did "secretly" record various members/friends of AIM and gave that information to FBI/federal investigators. (click here for news clip re: April 20th testimony). Chapman received, by the way, at LEAST $70,000 from the FBI for his work...gotta love tax dollars going to all the groovy places *~*.
