Concerns rise over sexual assault allegations: Diné filmmaker Kody Dayish’s new film ‘Red Hogan’ prepares for release

GALLUP

Some people are against the release of Diné filmmaker Kody Dayish’s new film “Red Hogan” due to sexual assault allegations against him.

Dayish was arrested on March 3, 2018, in Durango, Colorado, on suspicion of sexual assault after an incident the night before.

The victim contacted police early March 3 to report the sexual assault after locating her phone. Dayish had hidden the phone after the incident.

She met Dayish during the 2018 Durango Independent Film Festival and modeled for Dayish’s production company the evening before his arrest.
Dayish turned himself in later that day with a similar story.

His bail was originally set at $250,000. However, he was released on a personal recognizance bond two days later on March 5.

However, a little over a month later, the felony sexual assault charge against Dayish was dropped on April 20.

The charged was dropped because of “insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to 6th Judicial District Attorney Christian Champagne.

On June 26, Dayish appeared in court in Durango where he accepted a plea agreement with the district attorney’s office.

He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of obstruction of telephone service. Due to this, he served 12 months of probation on a deferred judgement.

This means since the probation was served successfully, the case will not appear in his criminal record.

Dayish’s attorney at the time argued Dayish only hid the phone to keep the victim from calling her boyfriend.

Due to this event in 2018, some people are against Dayish’s new film, “Red Hogan,” which was filmed in the midst of this case.

One person who is against Dayish and his film is Klee Benally.

Benally believes that when there is a crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, trans and two-spirit relatives, sexual violence needs to be addressed as a community issue.

For sexual violence to be addressed, he said prevention, centering the needs and boundaries of victims, and healing of those who have been harmed or who are at great risk of harm, is needed.

“It’s important to understand that the #metoo movement started in the film industry and calls for accountability for perpetrators who have abused their positions of celebrity and power haven’t stopped,” Benally said.

“So many brave survivors and relatives of victims have stood up to voice the need for justice,” he said. “It sends a dangerous and unacceptable message if we look the other way when known abusers are upheld and the voices of those that they’ve harmed are silenced or diminished.”

He said that if people were to stop supporting Dayish and any media he is involved in, it will send a message that our communities value and care for those who have been abused and we will stand against sexual violence.

“Consent is absolutely necessary, we need to teach about consent to young men and bring them back into the circle of healing,” Benally said.

Dayish did not respond to requests for comment.

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