4/23/2008 6:00:00 PM Vice Chief Sam
seeks to clarify
March incident
The vice chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has issued a statement to clarify the facts surrounding an altercation last month with a male student at a community college after going there to retrieve his minor-age daughter from a dorm room.
Vice Chief Eddie Sam contacted The Neshoba Democrat in an effort to set the record straight after reports he characterized as malicious attacks appeared in another publication that was distributed widely for free on the Reservation.
Assault charges were filed against Sam and subsequently dropped in the March 31 incident at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, according to Kemper County authorities.
A Tribal Council resolution earlier this month to remove Sam based on the allegations failed.
Sam, in the statement, said:
"I went to East Mississippi Community College on March 31 out of concern for the safety of my 17-year-old daughter. My wife and I had received information that a male student at EMCC was being abusive to her. Some of her friends were concerned for her safety and stated to us that in the past he had been verbally and physically abusive.
"I didn't go to the campus as Vice Chief or a representative of the Tribe, but I went there as a concerned father who was worried about the safety and well being of his child.
"There was an altercation that took place, and I feel that any other father, if put in the same situation, would have done anything to protect the safety and well being of his child.
"Some published reports have overblown and sensationalized the facts surrounding this incident and I felt I needed to come forward and clear my name.
"All charges have been dismissed and there are none pending. Unfortunately, some have used this incident politically to attack me. I had shared the details of the incident with members of the Tribal Council and Council staff. I shared this information because I have nothing to hide.
"I commend the Council members who rejected the resolution to have me removed over these flimsy allegation that obviously did not stand. I, as a member of the Council, feel that we have bigger issues to address within the Tribal government than pointing our finger at each other. We need to all work together for the betterment of our people and our Tribe and set our personal differences aside."
Sam contacted the Democrat on Monday after he became frustrated with efforts to clear his name through the publication.
The publication has no affiliation with The Neshoba Democrat.
The vice chief said he met last week with George Yates, the managing editor of the publication. Also present at that meeting held at the Depot on Friday, according to Sam, were: Philadelphia Mayor Rayburn Waddell, Community Development Partnership President David Vowell and Gaston Barrett, a businessman.
Sam told the Democrat on Tuesday that Yates was instructed at that meeting to get the matter cleared up.
On Monday the vice chief was told by an editor at the publication that he could write a letter to the editor, which did not satisfy Sam, he said.
Yates confirmed the meeting with Sam, Vowell, Waddell and Barrett took place at the Depot on Friday.
Asked if he wanted to make a statement, Yates said:
"I've got to talk with the group and get back with you if I want to make a statement."
Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Article comment by:
charlotte spann
I think mr. sam was doing what any parent would do who is worried about their child. yes he is vice chief. but he is a father first. all you that condem him are hipocrate because you never no what you would do if u were in his shoes. i think he did what any good father would do.
Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Article comment by:
Just Surfing
This man is a husband, father, family-man first and foremost,an elected official is secondary to personal family matters. This issue should not of been presented in a forum of tribal officials taking to vote in an attempt to oust Mr. Sam from his elected position. If the shoe was on another foot, issues were similiar, possibly certain council members would have a different view.
Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Article comment by:
Anonymous
Okay first of all why try to clear up anything of what happened on the March 31 incident?Its on the newspaper and every one has seen it.There is nothing you can do to hide it.Second of all it doesn't matter if you were vice chief or not, if wasn't right for him to go to the campus and get his daughter from the boy's dormroom??I agree with the statement Fallen government mentioned the school should have done something about it.If you say you are a father and trying to protect your daughter, you are supposed to be aware of her whereabouts.I mean think about it.Did you give her permission to go there? if it wasn't none of this would have happened.And if the boy was being abusive to the daughter all she could have done was tell the father and let him handle the rest of the situation responsibly not taking the law into your own hands.
Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Article comment by:
To Tribal Member X
As a mother, if my daughter was being beaten, I would call the Police, her school and sue him for pain and suffering. I would make sure the boy went to jail. If the boy was beaten my daughter in front of me, then I agree to help protect my daughter, but Mr. Sam knew already by a phone call. In Eddie Sam's case based on this reading........HE WAS WRONG!!! He should have called the security office at the school and police before he arrived at the school. I see enough killings and shooting at schools on TV. The school should do something about Eddie Sam. If they dont, other parents made take the law into their own hands. The boy should be kicked out of school for violence.
Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Article comment by:
R. Hickman
The charges "did not stand" because the victim choose not to press charges stating "he is my girlfriend's father"
