Friday, February 23, 2024 – High profile Alaska murder trial fans past MMIP trauma

Native America Calling

A jury convicted Brian Steven Smith on all counts in the murders of two Alaska Native women, Kathleen Jo Henry and Veronica Abouchuk. The trial, lasting just over two weeks, made international headlines, at least in part because the killer recorded graphic video of one of the murders. The trial exposed ongoing vulnerabilities and inequities Native women in Alaska cope with, and dredges up memories of past trauma Native residents face on a disproportionate basis.