Jenas likely to follow state suit with federal lawsuit

Monday, June 6, 2005 | 9:45 a.m.

PINEVILLE, La. -- Louisiana's attorney general expects the Jena Band of Choctaws to follow up their state court lawsuit against Louisiana with one in federal court.

After five years of fruitless negotiations with the state over building a casino, the tribe filed the state lawsuit last week, seeking compensation for what it described as a breach of contract on the part of former Gov. Mike Foster.

Attorney General Charles Foti, in Pineville for Filipino-American Heritage Day, said the state had not been officially served with the lawsuit Friday, but his attorneys had a copy e-mailed by a reporter. He said he has not been able to look at it yet, but people in his office are doing so.

The tribe has toyed with several locations for its casino -- including Logansport, Vinton and in the tri-parish area of Rapides, LaSalle and Grant. The U.S. Department of the Interior designated that area as the tribe's boundaries and the Jena Band contends that it has a legal right to open a casino there.

According to the lawsuit, Foster agreed to support efforts to open a casino in Logansport in DeSoto Parish, but demanded new conditions after a deal had been signed, the suit alleges.

The tribe's latest plans for a casino call for a site in the southern Grant Parish town of Creola.