We, the undersigned, believe that the Morton Country Sheriffs' Office, run by Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, are engaging in illegal tactics aimed at the suppression of free speech, public assembly, & freedom of the press. Police officers are employing excessive force, lying to the mainstream media, & colluding with the North Dakota State Attorney's Office in arresting & charging non-violent, peaceful water protectors with a series of crimes - from misdemeanors to felonies - all while lacking probable cause. These illegal arrests, followed by malicious prosecutions (e.g. that of Ladd Erickson against Democracy Now's Amy Goodman) are unacceptable in the United States of America. 

We implore the United States Department of Justice to launch an immediate, formal inquiry. Further, we urge the DOJ to consider filing an immediate, formal investigation into said agencies.