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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002

A federal judge on Thursday refused to order the Miss America pageant to allow a member of North Carolina's Lumbee Tribe to compete.

Rebekah Revels won the state crown but resigned after an ex-boyfriend said he had topless photos of her. The title was given to the runner-up, Misty Clymer, whom the Miss America pageant recognizes at the one and only North Carolina representative.

U.S. District Judge James Fox, in his ruling, said the ex-boyfriend, Tosh Welch, was "despicable," according to the Associated Press. Welsh lives on the Eastern Cherokee Reservation but hasn't been heard from lately.

Get the Story:
Judge denies Revels' motion (The Raleigh News-Observer 9/13)
A Miss North Carolina Loses Her Court Bid (The New York Times 9/13)
Judge refuses to name Revels the real Miss North Carolina (AP 9/13)

Relevant Links:
Miss America - http://www.missamerica.org

Related Stories:
Decision expected on beauty title (9/12)
Court hears Lumbee beauty crown case (9/11)
Lumbee woman's suit against ex delayed (9/10)
Lumbee woman goes to Miss America (9/9)
Lumbee woman restored beauty crown (9/5)
Testimony heard in Lumbee beauty case (9/4)
Lumbee woman gets closer to Miss America (8/30)
Lumbee woman loses N.C. beauty crown (8/7)