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Golf Club Assault Lands Wounded Knee Man Behind Bars
A shocking act of violence in the Wounded Knee community has resulted in a guilty verdict for 51-year-old Virgil Left Hand, Sr. The man was found guilty of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury following a federal trial in Rapid City, South Dakota.
The charges against Left Hand carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The evidence presented at the trial revealed that Left Hand assaulted another man with a golf club on September 23, 2017, at Wounded Knee. The victim suffered a depressed skull fracture that required emergency surgery to repair.
The investigation into the assault was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted and tried the case.
Left Hand was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing, which is set for September 18, 2018. The community is left to wonder what drove Left Hand to commit such a heinous crime.
As the sentencing date approaches, the victim and his loved ones are likely to be seeking justice and closure. The guilty verdict is a step in the right direction, but it remains to be seen what the final outcome will be.
In the meantime, the people of Wounded Knee are left to grapple with the aftermath of this senseless act of violence.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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