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Friday, October 17, 2003

The state of Rhode Island and the town of Charlestown sued the Bush administration for approving changes to the deeds of land owned by the Narragansett Tribe.

The suit names Secretary of Interior Gale Norton and Franklin Keel, the BIA's director for the Eastern Region. Keel approved the changes, which eliminate references to state jurisdiction.

The deeds are for land outside of the tribe's settlement area. As part of another case filed by the state and the town, a federal judge has ruled that the state has no jurisdiction on these properties.

The state and the town have appealed the ruling to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. They contend the BIA's decisition to take the land into trust puts the tribe closer to a casino even though the land is being used for housing.

Get the Story:
State, town sue U.S. over language change in tribal land deeds (The Providence Journal 10/17)
Larisa says Indians' only goal is a casino (The Providence Journal 10/17)
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Related Indian Board of Indian Appeals Decisions:
18 IBIA 67 (12/05/1989) | 35 IBIA 93 (06/29/2000)

Relevant Links:
Narragansett Tribe - http://www.narragansett-tribe.org

Related Stories:
R.I. town doesn't want tribe to have jurisdiction (10/16)
R.I. to appeal Narragansett land-into-trust case (10/01)
Judge affirms Narragansett Tribe land-into-trust (9/30)

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