A lawyer with ties to Oklahoma attorney general Drew Edmondson says he will continue to pursue the state lawsuit against the poultry industry.

David Riggs of Riggs, Abney, Neal, Orbison and Lewis agreed to represent the state on a contingency basis. He said he won't drop the case even though a federal judge said the state can't recover damages on behalf of the Cherokee Nation.

The tribe is not a party to the suit but signed an agreement with Edmondson for the state to represent its interests. Judge Gregory Frizzell said the deal wasn't properly approved under federal and state law.

The state accuses Tyson Foods Inc. and other poultry companies of polluting the Illinois River. The companies say the Cherokee Nation, not the state, owns the river.

Get the Story:
Attorney: Lawsuit still on, even without pay (The Tulsa World 7/28)

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