Washington, July 10 -- The US Supreme Court ruled on Friday that about half of Oklahoma state belongs to Native Americans, in a landmark case that also quashed a child rape conviction.
The judges decided 5-4 that an eastern chunk of the state, including its second-biggest city, Tulsa, should be recognised as part of a reservation.
Jimcy McGirt, who was convicted in 1997 of raping a girl, brought the case, citing the historical claim of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to the land where the assault occurred.
Thursday's decision in McGirt v Oklahoma is seen as one of the most far-reaching cases for Native Americans before the highest US court in decades.
The ruling means some tribe members found guilty in state courts for offences committed on...