"The Death of Raymond Yellow Thunder: And Other True Stories from the Nebraska—Pine Ridge Border Towns" by Stew Magnuson is a fine, fine book. As I read it, I was reminded of Truman Capote’s "In Cold Blood". Capote called his book a non-fiction novel and this is how I felt about "The Death of Raymond Yellow Thunder". It reads like a novel. Magnuson centers his book on the despicable beating and death of Yellow Thunder by four white men in 1972. Magnuson intersperses his account of this crime with the 130-year history of interaction between the native Lakota culture and the white culture of Sheridan County, Nebraska.

Raymond Yellow Thunder was a gentle, hardworking Ogalala from the Pine Ridge Reservation, who liked to spend his weekends drinking, and on February 12, 1972, that was what he was doing. He was not a mean drunk. If anything, he became even more quiet and gentle when drinking. On that cold February night in 1972 Les and Pat Hare, Jeannette Thompson, Toby Bayliss and Butch Lutter were cruising around Gordon, Nebraska, drinking and spoiling for trouble. A dance was in progress at the American Legion Hall, but both Les and Pat were banned from the club for their previous raucous behavior. As they cruised, they looked for an old Indian who Les had "jumped" earlier in the evening. Raymond Yellow Thunder was that man. The rowdies planned to have some "fun" with him.

Unfortunately for Yellow Thunder he was still in town. During the day he had his haircut and purchased a new shirt as well as a bottle of wine. Minding his own business, Yellow Thunder’s path soon crossed that of the cruising blue Ford Custom. After beating and bloodying Raymond, the yahoos (my term) in the car stripped him from the waist down and threw him into the trunk. Les wanted to get back at the Legion Club. They took the half-naked Yellow Thunder to the club and shoved him inside. Embarrassed and ashamed, Raymond covered his face with his hand and tried to pull his shirt tales over his genitals.

Seated by the door with his wife, Marvin Wheeler grabbed his suit coat to cover the old man. Raymond was "…disheveled, his forehead bruised, his hair out of place, dirt caked into his hair cream." Yellow Thunder explained, "Some boys roughed me up." After determining what happened and that Yellow Thunder wanted no help, he was sent back outside into the freezing February night half-naked.

The "prank" did not have the desired affect. There was no major fuss at the Legion. The whole incident took only a few seconds, and Raymond was back outside. Once again, the blue Custom Ford began cruising for Raymond Yellow Thunder and found him walking along the side of the road. "’Ah hell, it’s too damn cold out for him to be walking with no pants,’ Les said."

They stopped the car and again threw Raymond into the trunk. Picking up his clothes, the toughs took him to a Laundromat and left him there to get dressed. They then drove off to an all night café and sat bragging and laughing about their exploits.

Eight days later on February 20, 1972, the bruised and bloodied body of Raymond Yellow Thunder was found dead of a subdural hematoma (brain hemorrhage) in the cab of an abandoned, dilapidated truck.

"The Death of Raymond Yellow Thunder" is about more than just one crime. It explores cultural conflict as well as a community’s ability to transcend alcoholism, prejudice and violence. This is an outstanding book. I highly recommend it. It was recently named a finalist for the Great Plains Distinguished Book Prize by the Center for the Great Plains. The public is encouraged to attend a book signing and short program by Stew Magnuson at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2009, at the Scottsbluff Public Library. Call the library at 630-6250 for more information.

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