Saturday, May 20, 2017

Lawsuit dismissed against Dakota Access Pipeline protesters

A federal judge dismissed the civil suit filed by Dakota Access against the Standing Rock tribal chairman and four other defendants. In an order filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland said the company failed to show that the federal court had jurisdiction over the case. Hovland dismissed the claims against Dave Archambault, Dana Yellow Fat, Valerie Wolf Necklace, Clifton Hollow and Jonathan Edwards. There is still a lawsuit against Donald Strickland and Aaron Neyer, who did not file motions to dismiss. The company claimed the seven defendants interfered with pipeline work through their actions in the protest, threatening the safety of workers and costing the company business to the tune of more than $75,000 a day when work stopped. But the company didn't show that the alleged losses caused by each defendant exceeded $75,000, which is required for a lawsuit to be valid in federal court, Hovland decided...more

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