Is the Lawless Yellowstone ‘Zone of Death’ Real?
The Lawless Yellowstone “Zone of Death” is a myth that originates from a legal loophole in the U.S. Constitution. The loophole states that if a person commits a federal crime in an area that lies in two or more states, then no state court has the authority to prosecute that person. This has been interpreted to mean that the area between Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming that is completely contained within the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park could be a “Zone of Death” where a person could commit a federal crime with impunity. However, this interpretation is incorrect and no such “Zone of Death” exists.
It is true that the U.S. Constitution grants exclusive jurisdiction over crimes committed in Yellowstone National Park to the federal government. However, federal prosecutors can bring charges against anyone suspected of committing a federal crime in Yellowstone regardless of which state the crime was committed in. Additionally, the Supreme Court has held that states may prosecute individuals for crimes committed in Yellowstone National Park, if the federal government fails to do so.
Thus, even if the federal government declines to prosecute a crime committed in Yellowstone, a state can still bring charges against the suspect. Furthermore, there are no legal cases that support the existence of a “Zone of Death” in Yellowstone National Park. In fact, all legal cases involving crimes that were committed in Yellowstone National Park were prosecuted by either the federal government or the state government. Therefore, the “Zone of Death” in Yellowstone National Park is nothing more than a myth.
