Jury selection in Narragansett smokeshop case

Tuesday, February 26, 2008  

Jury selection began on Monday in the case of seven members of the Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island who were arrested during a raid of the reservation.

State troopers went to the reservation on July 14, 2003, to shut down a tax-free smokeshop. They arrested seven people -- including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas -- for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

The raid generated a large amount of media coverage. When prospective jurors were asked whether they had seen or read anything about the case, nearly all of them raised their hands, The Providence Journal reported.

The trial is expected to last one month. The state intends to call 60 witnesses, including up to 50 state troopers, while the defense plans to call members of the media who witnessed the raid.

Get the Story:
Jury selection begins in Narragansetts’ smoke-shop raid case (The Providence Journal 2/26)
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Relevant Links:
Narragansett Tribe - http://www.narragansett-tribe.org

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