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Tribal judge arrested in drug raid was under scrutiny
Thursday, June 2, 2005

A tribal court judge who was arrested in what authorities said was the largest drug bust in the history of the Wind River Reservation had already raised the eyebrows of her boss.

Wind River Chief Judge John St. Clair said Judge Lynda Munnell-Noah exhibited erratic behavior in and out of court. He said she was "constantly going to the doctor for pain in her neck and arm" to receive prescription drugs. The drug ring allegedly sold the pills.

St. Clair said Munnell-Noah was imposing what appeared to be improper sentences in drug- and alcohol-related cases. She handed out light punishment to relatives who appeared before her in court yet gave sentences "out of proportion" to offenders of the tribe's open container law, St. Clair said.

Munnell-Noah is charged with conspiracy to deal prescription pills, dealing prescription pills, using a phone to facilitate a felony drug offense, and threatening to assault and kill a federal law enforcement officer as an act of retaliation. She is one of 19 people arrested in and around the reservation.

Get the Story:
Judge's behavior concerned colleague (The Casper Star-Tribune 6/2)

Relevant Links:
Eastern Shoshone Tribe - http://www.easternshoshone.net
Northern Arapaho Tribe - http://www.northernarapaho.com

Related Stories:
Largest drug ring broken up on Wind River Reservation (6/1)
Drug arrests made on Wind River Reservation (5/30)

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