Governor Kevin Stitt Applauds Supreme Court Decision To Address McGirt Ruling 

Governor Kevin Stitt released the following statement Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the state’s case to address the McGirt ruling.  

“I am encouraged that the Supreme Court has decided to address whether a state has authority to prosecute non-Indians who commit crimes against Indians in Indian Country. The fallout of the McGirt decision has been destructive. Criminals have used this decision to commit crimes without punishment. Victims of crime, especially Native victims, have suffered by being forced to relive their worst nightmare in a second trial or having justice elude them completely.  

“The reality is that the McGirt decision has hamstrung law enforcement in half of the state. Oklahoma is a law and order state, and I was elected to protect all four million Oklahomans, regardless of their race or heritage. I will not stop fighting to ensure we have one set of rules to guarantee justice and equal protection under the law for all citizens.” 

Related: SCOTUS To Take Up Question Related To State's Authority To Prosecute Non-Natives In Native Territory