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January 9, 2008

Defendants want smoke-shop case delayed -- again

Defense lawyers in the Narragansett Indian smoke-shop case filed paperwork today to delay the start of the trial which has been delayed multiple times already.

Lawyers are asking Judge Susan E. McGuirl for more time to prepare after the state added 16 police officers to its witness list. Jury selection had been scheduled to begin Jan. 16.

McGuirl was scheduled to hear motions today in Providence Superior Court, but the case remains under the jurisdiction of the state’s Supreme Court, which is considering whether it will reconsider its December decision that Governor Carcieri does not have to take the stand.

Read the Journal's special report about the smoke-shop raid.

Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and six other defendants are charged with misdemeanor crimes, ranging from assault to disorderly conduct.

They were arrested four years ago when the state police raided a tribal smoke shop that was not collecting state taxes.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 12:55 PM | Permalink

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