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THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2003

Rhode Island attorney general Patrick Lynch accused Governor Donald Carcieri on Wednesday of placing the blame for raid of the Narragansett Tribe's smoke shop on the state police.

Lynch made several media appearances and said Carcieri was scapegoating state police Supt. Steven M. Pare. "It's terribly unfortunate that he excoriated the colonel of the state police publicly and the men and women on the state police who were merely doing their job," Lynch told The Providence Journal.

Carcieri has ordered two probes into Monday's raid, which turned violent and led to the arrests of seven tribal members, including chief sachem Matthew Thomas, and sent several others, including the 16-year-old daughter of tribal council member Randy Noka, to the hospital for minor injuries.

Get the Story:
Lynch criticizes Carcieri for faulting troopers over tribal raid (The Providence Journal 7/17)
Username: indianz@indianz.com, Password: indianz

More on the Raid:
Video | Pictures | Text: Gov. Carcieri's July 14 Press Conference | Text: Gov. Carcieri's July 15 Statement | Text: Excerpts of Narragansett Chief Sachem July 14 Press Conference

Rhode Island's Court Filings:
Motion for Temporary Restraining Order | Washington County Superior Court Complaint

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

Relevant Links:
Narragansett Tribe - http://www.narragansett-tribe.org
Rhode Island Governor - http://www.governor.state.ri.us
Rhode Island Attorney General - http://www.riag.state.ri.us

Related Stories:
Tribal smoke shop feud heads to court (7/16)
Carcieri launches two probes into smokeshop raid (7/16)
Lawmakers call for court resolution of dispute (7/16)
Editorial: R.I. tribe shares blame for violence (7/16)
R.I. raids Narragansett tribal smoke shop (7/15)
Narragansett Tribe wants to head to federal court (7/15)
Analysis: Carcieri 'paternalistic' on Indians (7/15)
Column: Tribal smokeshop raid something out of 1963 (7/15)
Narragansett chief arrested in 'violent' raid (7/14)
R.I. governor promises to help Narragansett Tribe (06/04)
R.I. tribe upset over reservation checkpoint bill (05/30)
R.I. bill sets up reservation checkpoints (5/28)
R.I. tribe delays opening of tobacco shop (5/23)