Yvonne Swan

Yvonne L. Swan
Born
Yvonne Wanrow

1943 (age 80–81)
Inchelium, Washington, U.S.
EducationColville High School
OccupationActivist of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (Sinixt)
Known forState of Washington v. Wanrow (1972–1979)
MovementAmerican Indian Movement
Children3

Yvonne L. Swan (née Wanrow; born 1943), also known as Yvonne Swan Wanrow,[1] is an American activist from the Colville Indian Reservation.[2] A Sinixt, she is a Native American and is part of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.[3][4] Under the surname Wanrow, she is known for her 1970s murder trial with the State of Washington, which initiated proceedings against her after she shot and killed a White man who was allegedly attempting to rape her toddler son on August 11, 1972.[5] While she was initially sentenced to 20 years in prison for second-degree murder and first-degree assault, an appeal saw her instead being convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to probation, thus leading to her becoming a cause célèbre among feminists and the American Indian Movement. Her case eventually reached the Washington Supreme Court, where its outcome had far-reaching effects on women's self-defense and the law, and the manner in which juries interpret the behavior of a defendant, the legality of recorded conversations, and considerations for victims of sexual assault.[4]

  1. ^ Berger, Dan (September 24, 2010). The Hidden 1970s: Histories of Radicalism. Rutgers University Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-8135-5033-6.
  2. ^ Johansen, Bruce E.; Grinde, Donald A. Jr. (August 21, 1998). The Encyclopedia Of Native American Biography. Da Capo Press. p. 375. ISBN 978-0-306-80870-8.
  3. ^ Jones, Ann (October 1, 2009). Women Who Kill. New York City, NY: The Feminist Press at CUNY. pp. 321–322, 335, 375–376. ISBN 978-1-55861-652-3.
  4. ^ a b Schuetz, Janice E. (1994). "Yvonne Wanrow: The Logic of Cultural Narrative". The Logic of Women on Trial: Case Studies of Popular American Trials. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. pp. 136–160. ISBN 978-0-8093-1869-8.
  5. ^ Drisker, Tiarra (March 8, 2022). "Yvonne Swan: A Revolutionary Woman – The College of Arts & Sciences at Texas A&M University". Texas A&M University. Retrieved October 9, 2024. "Moments after Wesler got in the house, he attempted to move toward my 3-year-old nephew who was awakened by the shouting," Swan recalled. "Wesler moved toward him saying 'What a cute little boy.' When my little nephew saw Wesler, he started crying. That's when my sister moved to shout at Wesler to stay away from her son, and I became afraid for her. She was looking up at him and shouting and he turned toward her and I thought he might hurt her. All I could think of was we were all in danger. I looked for her husband and when I turned, [Wesler] was in front of me and I panicked."

    Swan shot the 6'10" white man.

    On Mother's Day in 1973, Swan was convicted of second-degree felony murder and first-degree assault for killing their attacker. After two appeals, Swan served five years on probation in exchange for a plea deal. Her grueling experience with sexism and racism within the court inspired her to advocate for other women and Native Americans within the court system.