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March 13, 2008

Smoke-shop trial: Police detective describes raid

PROVIDENCE -- State police Det. Joseph F. Philbin, testifying in the trial of seven Narragansett tribal members accused in a state police raid on a tribal smoke shop, said he took down tribal conservation officer Thawn Harris after seeing him assaulting a female state trooper.

Under a defense lawyer's questioning in Providence County Superior Court today, Philbin said he began to run on the property after hearing a female screaming, “Here they come, get ready.”

Then Philbin saw that another tribal officer was not going to honor the warrant, he said on the 10th day of testimony.

In July 2003, the state police were carrying out a search-and-seizure warrant to stop the tribe from selling tax-free cigarettes at the Charlestown smoke shop, but the situation turned violent, with television images capturing that day.

Read about yesterday's testimony in court.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 1:12 PM | Permalink

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