McLaughlin Man Acquitted Of Assault Charges

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man was acquitted by a federal jury in Pierre on December 9, 2014, on two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

Justin Walking Elk was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 15, 2014.

The charges stemmed from events which were alleged to have occurred in October 2013.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Standing Rock Agency.  The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.