Narragansett Tribe wants land taken out of trust

Thursday, February 28, 2008  

The Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island is asking the Interior Department to take its entire reservation out of trust.

Council member John Brown said the move will enable the tribe to put its 1,800 acres back in trust without state jurisdiction. Paperwork will be filed in the coming weeks, he said.

The reservation was acquired in trust in 1988. Pursuant to the tribe's land claims settlement act, it was placed under state jurisdiction.

As a result, the tribe has to abide by all state laws, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. The state is now prosecuting seven tribal members -- including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas -- for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest during a state raid of the reservation. Jury selection continued yesterday.

The tribe has sought land outside the reservation where it would be free of state control. The U.S. Supreme Court this week agreed to hear whether the Interior Department can acquire land in trust for the tribe.

Get the Story:
Tribe seeks review of land (The Providence Journal 2/28)
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Smoke shop jury nearly complete (The Providence Journal 2/28)
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Supreme Court Documents:
Docket Sheet | Questions Presented | Order List

1st Circuit Decisions:
En Banc (July 20, 2007) | Panel (February 9, 2005)

Briefs and Other Documents:
Carcieri v. Kempthorne (NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project

Relevant Laws:
Rhode Island Indian Claims Settlement Act (US Code)

Relevant Links:
Narragansett Tribe - http://www.narragansett-tribe.org
Tribal Supreme Court Project - http://www.narf.org/sct/index.html

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