Law
Court dismisses suit over peyote dispute in Utah


A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by two people whose use of peyote sparked a legal dispute in Utah.

James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney, a self-proclaimed medicine man, and Linda Mooney, his wife, claimed the state violated their rights by prosecuting them for possessing peyote. Neither are members of a federally recognized tribe.

The charges were dropped after the Utah Supreme Court the state's peyote law was not specific enough. The law does not require Native American Church practitioners to be tribal members.

The Mooneys sued the county, the state and the federal government but the judge said they had no case against any party.

Get the Story:
Court dismisses peyote lawsuit (The Salt Lake Tribune 12/7)

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