And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 13:21:19 EST >Subject: Fwd: Judge Rules Indian Slots Illegal > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Return-path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Judge Rules Indian Slots Illegal >Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 07:11:30 EST >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit > >Judge Rules Indian Slots Illegal > >.c The Associated Press > > By MARK JEWELL > >SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- A judge has cleared the way for federal marshals to >seize 1,800 slot machines from two American Indian reservations, saying the >devices are illegal. > >The Spokane Tribe plans to appeal U.S. District Judge Fred Van Sickle's ruling >to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, tribal vice chairman John Kieffer >said. > >The tribe also will seek an emergency stay from the appeals court to allow >continued operation of the slots until the appeal is resolved. > >The judge on Thursday found the slot machines are illegal under the Johnson >Act, a 1950s anti-organized crime law that bans slot machines on Indian >reservations. > >Lawyers for the Spokanes and the Confederated Colville Tribes had filed a >motion seeking to order federal prosecutors to sue Washington state rather >than attempt to seize the slot machines. The motion was denied. > >The ruling allows federal marshals to seize slots from the Spokane and >Colville reservations before the outcome of any appeal, assistant U.S. >attorney Jim Shively said. > >``We quite frankly wouldn't want to seize the machines if the tribes agree >simply to turn them off pending the ruling (on the appeal),'' he said. > >As many as 600 people may be laid off at the Spokane tribe's four casinos, >which have about 1,300 slots machines, Kieffer said. ``Without the slots, >we'll definitely have to close our doors,'' he said. > >Last summer, U.S. attorney's offices here and in Seattle began civil >forfeiture actions to seize more than 2,000 gambling machines operated by the >Spokanes, the Colvilles and the Shoalwater Bay tribe in western Washington. > >In September, a federal judge in Seattle ordered the 108 Shoalwater machines >seized. They were removed within a few days, but an appeal is pending. > >Federal law provides an exemption from the Johnson Act if states either enter >into compacts with tribes to allow Nevada-style gaming, such as slot machines, >or pass laws to allow tribes to operate such devices. > >Washington state contends slot machines are illegal under state law and cannot >be negotiated into a compact. Slots are allowed in Indian casinos in 23 >states, the National Indian Gaming Commission said. > >AP-NY-12-11-98 0711EST > > Copyright 1998 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP >news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise >distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press. > &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment ...http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ `"` `"` `"` `"` `"` `"`