Choctaw tribal member Gary S. Pitchlynn recently self-published a book, “The Usual Suspect,” recounting the notorious 1977 case of the Girl Scout murders at Camp Scott in northeast Oklahoma.
“The Usual Suspect” details the trial, injustices in the criminal justice system, Native American influence and the misconduct he and others have alleged among law enforcement, prosecutors and the trial judge himself.
Pitchlynn was a recent law school graduate working for a Native American nonprofit that serve the urban Indian community of Oklahoma City.
According to Pitchlynn, the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation asked him to meet with a young Cherokee man, Gene Leroy Hart, following his arrest.
Hart was accused of committing the most notorious crime in Oklahoma history, the killing of three Girl Scouts asleep in their tent on the first night of camp.
Hart had been a fugitive and on the run for several years before the murders, but as the usual suspect in the area, this crime had raised the stakes for his capture. Expecting the assignment to be a one-day commitment, he invited his good friend from the Public Defender’s Office to come along for the ride.
The meeting with Hart led the two young friends on a year-long journey that started with a chase to find their client, who had been moved from prison by authorities to delay his contact with the attorneys.
They were able to show that several key witnesses and law enforcement officers had lied under oath, casting substantial doubt on the reliability of the case against Hart.
The book is an insider look into a justice system in which defendants without resources don’t have the same chance as those who can afford the best representation, expert witnesses and cutting-edge scientific testing.
Pitchlynn is a well-known and accomplished attorney, tribal judge, and law professor who has spent most of his 46 years in practice representing and advising tribes, tribal people, and Native American organizations around the country.
Although first widely known for his criminal defense work, he became a respected figure in Indian country through his aggressive advocacy in helping tribes build their gaming industry.
He continues to enjoy the practice of law and has joined forces with All Rise, PLLC, a lawyer cooperative made up of bright young lawyers who have an interest in federal Indian law.
Pitchlynn resides in Norman, Oklahoma, with his wife of 44 years, Joyce Parks Pitchlynn, who serves as his primary editor.
He plans to continue mentoring young lawyers and teaching at the University of Oklahoma School of Law.
“The Usual Suspect” can be purchased on Amazon.