Officers in Kloepfer shooting won’t face charges

special prosecutor tasked with examining the investigation into a 2022 police shooting that severely injured Jason Harley Kloepfer at his home in Cherokee County has concluded that no criminal charges are warranted against any of the officers involved. 

Cherokee courts ‘underserve’ the EBCI’s members

My name is Raymond D. Large III, Esq., known to most as Rady [Ray-Dee]. I am an Appalachian-American, an attorney in good standing with the North Carolina State Bar, a former assistant district attorney for the 43rd Prosecutorial District of North Carolina, a participating adjunct professor of business law at Western Carolina University concentrating in individual rights and liberties, and most importantly, an ardent and sworn defender of the Constitution of the United States and the North Carolina State Constitution. 

EBCI approves applications to expand trust lands

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will ask the federal government to take 38.2 acres in Graham and Swain counties into federal trust following unanimous votes from Tribal Council Thursday, Feb. 1. 

Human remains found in Cherokee; police decline to release identity

The Cherokee Indian Police Department has determined the identity of the person whose remains were found in an open field Tuesday, Jan. 2, but it’s not disclosing any information about the individual beyond that the person was male.

Ordinance expanding per capita payments withdrawn for further discussion

Debate about how to spend revenues from the tribe’s growing portfolio of out-of-state gambling businesses will continue into the next term after Tribal Council voted to withdraw a paired resolution and ordinance addressing the issue Sept. 25. 

Hicks wins fourth term as Cherokee chief

Cherokee looked back for its future in today’s General Election, with an overwhelming majority of voters electing to oust incumbent Principal Chief Richard Sneed and bring former Chief Michell Hicks back for a fourth term. On Tribal Council, voters brought change by replacing four incumbents with candidates who have previously served multiple terms on Council.

Police shooting defendants reply to lawsuit

Tribal officers in Cherokee County shooting say they thought victim was armed

Expanded sports betting could add to EBCI per cap

Tribal members could see their per capita checks grow after the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians expands its gaming business in accordance with a new state law  authorizing sports wagering in North Carolina. 

EBCI Council tightens transparency rules for tribal LLCs

In response to what he says are ongoing issues with transparency on the part of the tribe’s cannabis business Qualla Enterprises LLC, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Richard Sneed introduced an ordinance  during the July 13 Tribal Council session clarifying certain aspects of the relationship between tribal government and its LLCs. 

Police shooting victim alleges attempted murder, seeks millions in damages

In an explosive federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina, the victim of a December 2022 police shooting in Cherokee County seeks millions of dollars in damages while laying out the sequence of alleged violations of policy and law that led to what he says was an attempted murder by police. The shots were fired by members of the Cherokee Indian Police Department, which had been called to assist the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

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