« Brown archaeologist wins grant to study Mayan kingdom | Today | Providence police say they've found car in fatal hit, run »

March 10, 2008

Detective: Riot police briefed before smoke-shop raid

PROVIDENCE — Members of the state police riot control team were some of the first to arrive at Narragansett Indian land in Charlestown on July 14, 2003, state police Det. Timothy Sanzi testified today in Providence County Superior Court.

Maj. John Leyden instructed them at a briefing at the Ladd School to get to the smoke shop and form a perimeter around it so none of the evidence – in this case unstamped cigarettes -- would be destroyed, he said.

The state police executed a search and seizure warrant around 1:30 p.m. that day to stop the Narragansetts from selling tax-free cigarettes. The raid erupted into a scuffling match as customers and news crews looked.

Sanzi took the stand in the seventh day of testimony in the trial of seven Narragansett Indians charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assault. He is part of the state police riot and crowd control team, referred to as the quick response team.

Sanzi said he arrested Tribal Councilman John Brown after seeing Brown push a trooper. He considered using pepper spray, but didn’t because he said he feared it would affect bystanders.

Extra: See photos and video footage of the 2003 smoke shop raid

-- Journal staff reporter Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 1:55 PM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)