There’s a Part of Yellowstone Park Where Committing Murder Is A-OK!

According to law professor and author Brian Kalt, Idaho's section of Yellowstone is a judicial free-for-all

August 8, 2016
Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Ah, majestic Yellowstone National Park – an ideal spot for fresh air, scenic landscapes, and… murder?

According to a recent Vice article, there is a 50-square-mile section of Yellowstone Park where, thanks to a legal loophole, anyone can literally get away with murder. The discovery was made by author and Michigan State University law professor Brian Kalt while researching his 2007 novel “Free Fire.”

The murder zone apparently exists because U.S. states have no jurisdiction on federal land and, though Yellowstone National Park extends through Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, Congress has placed the entire park in Wyoming’s federal district. Thus, due to a number of Constitutional requirements, it becomes impossible to form a jury for crimes committed in the Idaho and Montana portions of the park. The end result is that criminals would basically enjoy immunity.

So, the next time a friend invites you to Yellowstone, think long and hard about whether or not you owe them money.

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