SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Surveillance video from underneath the Eighth Street bridge in downtown Sioux Falls on June 30, 2025 had jurors’ attention Tuesday inside the Minnehaha County Courthouse during 46-year-old Jubal Rattler’s murder trial. Rattler is accused of causing the death of 39-year-old Doris High Elk; he has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and aggravated assault.
Per court documents, Rattler shoved High Elk from atop a wall to a concrete pathway below. The 39-year-old High Elk died from her injuries on July 6, 2025.
At the heart of the case is whether Rattler is criminally responsible for High Elk’s death. In its opening statements, the prosecution Tuesday described a fall as a “head-first dive,” with counsel arguing for the “unbiased” nature of what a camera captures. For their part, the defense in their opening statements described the case as a “tragic accident” that was, nevertheless, “not a crime.” The defense also stated that all parties had been “heavily” drinking…