December 8, 2009
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals issues a Judgment denying Douglas White’s request for release pending appeal as “moot.”

December 2, 2009
Douglas White is buried outside Manderson, South Dakota, as the full moon rises over the hills of Pine Ridge reservation.

December 1-2, 2009
Public wake services are held in Billy Mills Hall, Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

November 30, 2009
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals is notified of Douglas’ death:
“Terry L. Pechota, attorney for Douglas White, an innocent man, unjustly convicted and incarcerated, regretfully gives notice that Douglas White died in prison on November 24, 2009.”

November 24, 2009
Douglas White passes away in prison at 7:15 pm (CMT) in Rochester, Minnesota.

November 23, 2009
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Gusinsky and U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson file an objection to Douglas White’s motion for an immediate release with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. They allege that White did not meet “the requirements for release” and that “there is no evidence regarding his medical condition and frailty (p.6).”

November 17, 2009
Received a letter from U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson stating that he had spoken to officials at the Bureau of Prisons. They informed him that Douglas White had been denied a Compassionate Release on three separate occasions, the most recent being in October, 2009. Ignoring the evidence of White’s “actual innocence” and the role the U.S. Attorney’s office played in convicting Douglas, Johnson concluded that “the statutory procedure must be followed.”

November 16, 2009
Received an email from F. Michael Kelleher, the Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Correspondence, notifying us that it is not within President Obama’s “authority” to become involved in “legal matters.” Here is the email:

Dear Simon:
Thank you for contacting the office of President Barack Obama. The President appreciates your taking the time to voice your concerns and opinions.We would like to be of assistance to you; however, due to the separation of powers, it is not within our authority to become involved in legal matters. You must resolve this issue through the judicial system.Please be aware that you can visit www.usa.gov or call 1-800-FEDINFO for information about Federal Government assistance.We hope your concerns are resolved to your satisfaction. Again, thank you for your correspondence.
Sincerely,
F. Michael Kelleher
Special Assistant to the President
and Director of Presidential Correspondence

November 13, 2009
Judge Battey denies White’s request for a certificate of appealability, seeking to further impede White’s appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

November 12, 2009
Jennifer and Simon are featured on First Voices Indigenous Radio.

November 10, 2009
A motion for Douglas White’s immediate release is submitted to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

November 2, 2009
On Monday, November 2, 2009, a press conference & demonstration were held at Billy Mills Hall in Pine Ridge at 3 pm. A march was led through the streets of Pine Ridge to the tribal court house, where the original tribal hearing of the Douglas White was held.

October 30, 2009
On Friday, Oct 30, 2009, a press conference was held in Rapid City at 12 noon in the Enigma Room at the Radisson hotel. News media from Fox News KEVN of Rapid City, the Rapid City Journal and other news reporters were present. Statements were made by Terry Pechota, Jennifer Jessum and Simon Joseph.

October, 2009
Douglas White was (again) denied the ability to even begin the request for a Compassionate Release from the Department of Justice by B.R. Jett, theWarden of FMC Rochester.

October 21, 2009
On Oct. 21, 2009, Judge Battey denies Douglas White’s motion for reconsideration.

September, 2009
Douglas White files a motion for reconsideration with Judge Richard H. Battey and provides proof in the form of affidavits from Roy Helper Jr. and Douglas White that Roy Helper Jr. never recanted the molestation charges before November, 2007.

September 8, 2009
On Sept. 8, 2009, Judge Richard H. Battey ruled in favor of the government, endorsing the argument that Roy Helper Jr. recanted in 2004 and that Douglas White should have known of this recantation and filed his petition four years ago, before the one year statute of limitations ran out.

August 14, 2009
On August 14, 2009, the government filed a Memorandum in support of its objections to Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy’s Report and Recommendation. The government contended that Douglas White claimed in 2004 that Roy Helper Jr. had recanted and signed an affidavit and that this meant that an actual recantation had occurred. Therefore, the government argued, Douglas White’s petition was not “timely” and his petition and evidence should be dismissed and denied.

July 31, 2009
On July 31, 2009 local Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy issued a report and recommended that an evidentiary hearing be held in this case to determine the merits of Douglas White’s claim of “actual innocence.”

May 29, 2009
On May 29, Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy agrees to expedite case.

May 28, 2009
On May 28, the case was assigned for initial review to Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy.

April 21, 2009
On April 21, 2009, Douglas White filed a 2255 in the District Court in Rapid City, South Dakota.

March 25, 2009
On March 25, 2009, the Eighth Circuit issued a judgment, granting Douglas White permission to file a 2255 in the District Court.

October 28, 2008
On October 28, 2008, Dr. Louis Rovner conducted a polygraph examination of Roy Helper Jr. Rovner’s findings were that “the probability that Mr. Helper was being truthful when he answered the relevant questions was greater than 99%.” As a result, Dr. Rovner’ concluded that in his “professional opinion,” Roy was “telling the truth” when he claimed he had never been molested by his grandfather, Douglas White.

Oct. 7, 2008
On Oct. 7, 2008, a petition requesting permission to submit a new 2255/Habeas Corpus to the District Court was filed with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

July 17, 2008
Jennifer Jessum and Simon Joseph discuss the Douglas White case on First Voices Indigenous Radio in an update to their first interview with Tiokasin Ghosthorse.

July, 2008
Steve Hawk and Sidney Witt, the tribal defense attorney and prosecutor, respectively, in Douglas White’s tribal hearing, signed affidavits stating their recollection that Roy Helper Jr. denied the molestation charges under oath in tribal court. Hawk and Witt both stated that they case was dismissed for insufficient evidence.

July 17, 2008
On July 17, 2008, Penny Kane, the babysitter who was upstairs when Douglas returned home from Bear Butte to Pine Ridge, signed an affidavit stating that nothing happened during Douglas’ return.

July 11, 2008
On July 11, 2008, Douglas White’s stepsons, Everett Poor Thunder Helper & Marvin Helper, both signed affidavits stating that their two nephews, Roy and Lloyd Helper, had told them that the charges against Douglas White were untrue.

July, 2008
In July, 2008, several members of Douglas White’s federal trial, Charles Nauman, Gerald Julson and Wanda Brown, each signed affidavits stating that if they had known that there had been a tribal hearing for Douglas White and that the two grandchildren had recanted, that they would not have voted “guilty.” After learning about the grandchildrens’ recent confessions, several jury members from Douglas White's federal trial decided to change their verdicts.

July 18, 2008
On July 18, 2008, Roy and Lloyd Helper met with Dr. Leslie Fiferman, a professional psychologist, in Rapid City. Dr. Fiferman conducted thorough diagnostic evaluations of both young men and concluded that they are both being sincere and truthful in their admissions that Douglas never abused them.

June 19, 2008
On June 19, 2008, Jennifer Jessum and Simon Joseph were featured on First Voices Indigenous Radio hosted by Tiokasin Ghosthorse.

June, 2008
We are thrilled to announce that through the generous donations of supporters of the Douglas White Defense Fund, we have been able to pay for professional psychological evaluations, polygraph examinations and other legal expenses necessary for Douglas’ defense. Special thanks to the Agape International Spiritual Center, Stacy & Bobby Bowman and Mike & Lori Hendrickson!

May 31, 2008
On May 31, 2008, we launched the Douglas White Defense Fund and an online petition (www.FreeDouglasWhite.com). Our goal is to raise 10,000 signatures. Please sign the petition and send it on to your friends!

February, 2008
We are pleased to announce that in February, 2008, former U.S. Attorney of South Dakota Terry L. Pechota agreed to represent Mr. White pro bono.

February, 2008
We are thrilled to announce that Martin Sheen is narrating “Holy Man”! Mr. Sheen, an award-winning actor and political activist, donated his time and talent to the project. We recorded Mr. Sheen in February, 2008, at Pop Sound Studies in Santa Monica, California.

November, 2007
In November, 2007, Roy Helper Jr., the primary witness in the government’s case against Douglas White, confessed, on film, that he had “told a lie” to get Douglas in trouble. Roy and his brother, Lloyd Helper, both signed affidavits affirming Douglas’ innocence. For the first time in fifteen years, Douglas’ case can be re-opened with this new evidence of “actual innocence.”