|
|
Article: Judge Upholds R.I. Smoke-Shop Shutdown
- Article from:
- AP Online
- Article date:
- December 29, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Associated Press. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Associated Press. (Hide copyright information)
|
ELIZABETH ZUCKERMAN
AP Online
12-29-2003
Dateline: PROVIDENCE, R.I.
Rhode Island authorities acted properly when they shut down the Narragansett Indian tribe's tax-free smoke shop, a federal judge ruled Monday.
U.S. District Judge William Smith said the state had the right to tax cigarettes sold at the shop on the tribe's settlement land in Charlestown.
Eight members of the tribe, including the tribal leader, were arrested by state police in a tumultuous raid on the shop in July.
The tribe filed suit after the raid arguing that, as a sovereign nation, it has a right to sell tobacco free of state taxes. The state argued that the tribe is bound by terms of a 1978 settlement agreement that gave ...