Cigarette

Federal Court Upholds ATF Decision Against Twenty-Nine Palms Tribe in Cigarette Tax Dispute

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Riverside, Calif. – A federal court has upheld a decision by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to block the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians from shipping untaxed cigarettes. U.S. District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes ruled against the tribe, stating there was no arbitrary or capricious action on the part of the ATF, which enforced the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act. The tribe had been permitted by federal law to sell untaxed cigarettes to other Native American nations. However, complications arose when these cigarettes were subsequently sold to non-Native consumers without … Read more

Jury Convicts Man in 2022 Augusta Fatal Shooting Over Cigarette Lighter Dispute

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AUGUSTA, Ga. — A jury has convicted a man involved in a fatal shooting in Augusta last year, underlining a grave incident that stemmed from a trivial dispute. Frederick McNeal was found guilty of felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to the Augusta District Attorney’s Office. The incident, which captured local attention due to its violent nature and seemingly mundane cause, occurred on the morning of July 26, 2022. Authorities were called to Sonny’s Package on the 2300 block of Wheeless Road after reports of gunfire. Upon … Read more