"House Bill 60, which would allow members of federally recognized Indian tribes to use peyote for religious services, is on his desk awaiting his signature.

The bill was drafted to target one man: James Warren "Flaming Eagle" Mooney, leader of the Oklevueha EarthWalks Native American Church. Mooney has been in the legal cross hairs at various levels of government for five years because he allows non-Indians to join his church and participate in peyote ceremonies.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that a New Mexico church could use hallucinogenic tea in its religious services. This would seem to give Mooney a legal basis for conducting peyote services at his church again.

In light of that, the feds' conditions for dropping the vendetta appears to be a face-saving move. U.S. attorneys now don't have to admit to pushing a constitutionally dubious case. It seems they were able to read the handwriting on the wall and cut their losses."

Get the Story:
Governor should veto peyote bill (The Provo Daily Herald 2/25)

Supreme Court Decision:
Gonzales v. UDV (February 21, 2006)

Utah Peyote Bill:
Controlled Substance Amendments (HB 60)

Related Stories:
U.S. Attorney drops peyote charges against couple (2/23)
High court scoffs at trust in religious rights case (2/22)
Bill to limit peyote to tribal members advances (2/8)
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Plea deal reached for peyote case in Utah (12/16)
Study finds no harmful effects of peyote use (11/04)
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Peyote seized from 'medicine man' in federal custody (05/06)
Utah man sues county for return of seized peyote (4/28)
Supreme Court takes drug case tied to peyote use (04/19)
Supreme Court reviews case compared to peyote (04/14)
Religious group wins case tied to peyote use (11/16)
Navajo Nation peyote, meth legislation on hold (11/11)
Navajo bill clarifies use of peyote on reservation (10/12)
U.S. may prosecute Native American Church figure (08/31)
Non-Indian peyote case could head to Supreme Court (08/16)
Ruling allows non-Indians to use peyote in Utah (06/23)
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Utah 'medicine' man at center of court battles (08/26)
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Peyote against tea dispute heats up (1/24)
Case compared to Native American Church (10/30)
Peyote use disputed in Utah (5/18)
Man prevented from using peyote (5/10)
'Medicine man' settles lawsuit (3/30)
Peyote: For Indians Only? (1/8)
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The Peyote Exemption (7/17)
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