SEMINOLE, Okla. (KFOR) — Kadetrix Grayson was convicted for the murder of two people in Seminole back in 2015. His first degree murder charge was then tossed out in 2021 because of the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in McGirt V. Oklahoma.

“Mr. Grayson’s conviction and reversal was important because his case was the one that determined that the reservation had been reestablished at the Seminole nation,” said Robert Gifford, a Native American Law Attorney.

Back in 2018, Grayson was convicted of two counts of first degree murder for killing two people, and given two consecutive life sentences.

The ruling in 2020 in McGirt versus Oklahoma means state courts no longer have the authority to prosecute crimes committed by or against Oklahomans who are also tribal members.

“Depending on the offense…if they committed a misdemeanor, it would go into tribal court at the Seminole Nation. For felonies, it would find itself into federal court,” said Gifford.

Due to the McGirt ruling, Grayson’s case had to be tried again in federal court.

“He entered into a plea agreement in 2022, in the spring, and he agreed to plead to a lesser charge, second degree murder, two counts of second degree murder,” said Gifford.

On October 17, Grayson pled guilty to two counts of second degree murder. His life sentences are now replaced by a 27 year concurrent sentence for both counts.

“McGirt was a return of sovereignty to the tribes in a way that had not happened in over 100 years. McGirt is the biggest Native American law case that is affecting united states in more than 200 years,” said Gifford.

Gifford said this is just one of many cases that will need to be retried or resentenced because of the McGirt change.