| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| 'Medicine Man' Arrested on Peyote Charges |
| 2005-06-24 |
| Wonder if he knows Ward? SALT LAKE CITY - A self-proclaimed medicine man was arrested Thursday on federal charges he lied about being an American Indian to consume and distribute peyote during religious ceremonies. Should've called them "medicinal" religious ceremonies. James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney, 61, claims to be a member of the Oklevueha Band of Yamassee Seminole Indians. He openly uses and distributes the hallucinogen in religious ceremonies, which is allowed under federal law by members of recognized tribes. However, federal prosecutors said Mooney's tribal membership was fraudulently obtained. Court documents said the tribe revoked it and asked him to stop using their name in connection with his religious activities. The Oklevueha Band is not a federally recognized tribe and does not use peyote in its religious ceremonies, according to court documents. But I think I'm an Indian. And I want to get high. Mooney's wife, Linda, and Nicholas Stark, a member of Mooney's Oklevueha Earth Walks Church, were also named in the indictment. The Mooneys are scheduled to make a court appearance Friday. The Mooneys were charged in state court in 2000 for providing peyote to non-Native American church visitors, but later won a state Supreme Court decision after justices determined Utah law did not require peyote users to be members of federally recognized tribes. So we can all go to Utah and trip on peyote? Talk about a loophole... In April, Mooney filed a federal lawsuit against the Utah County officials who unsuccessfully prosecuted him, seeking the return of seized property, including 12,000 peyote buttons, and unspecified monetary damages. 12000! Like, wow, man! Messages left Thursday for two attorneys who have represented Mooney were not returned. We're not here right now. Please leave a message and we'll call you back when the pretty colors go away... |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #9 Xbalanke from first person whispers and doctors stories... It tastes worse than doggie droppings You can't keep it down for long without special prep. (your body knows it is poison.) A 60s hippie would have cleaned it. Sliced it put it inside of peanut butter and covered with bread. rolled the sandwich into little bread covered balls. taken three beers swallowed with beer and no chewing while holding the nose chugged 2 more beers to cover the taste brushed the teeth and gargled with mouthwash repeat the last step over and over all night as everybody tells the person their breath reeks more then dogshit. Such a wholesome and uplifting hobbie.. It makes little johnny want to brush and brush. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-06-24 18:38 |
| #8 The frustrating bit about peyote and its legal use is that the only legal peyote grown in the US is on two small ranches in Texas, and far less than what is needed for legitimate religious regions. However, just across the border in Mexico it all sorts, growing wild. So while indians have to wait for months to get it in the US, like they have to wait for eagle feathers, they can't bring any across the border. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-06-24 18:27 |
| #7 yeah, lotta peyote indigenous to Seminole regions |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-06-24 17:04 |
| #6 Wow, sounds like you guys have done extensive "research" on the subject. 12,000 peyote buttons, Must be a big parish he "shepherds." Good example why peyote is now an endangered plant. |
| Posted by: Xbalanke 2005-06-24 16:55 |
| #5 Likely caught cause they didn't clean the buttons properly nor coat with enough peanut butter before swallowing. A congregation all retching at once would be pretty suspicious! BTW... they were smart enough to open them up and clean out all those little needles? Those needles have lots of strychnine in them. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-06-24 15:17 |
| #4 "Flaming Eagle"? I know there's an Andrew Sullivan joke in there somewhere... |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-06-24 14:28 |
| #3 i will admit tho it kinda odd that the noles get peyote when the nearest button was 2000 miles away, i guess movin helped, seems like they'd use happy mushrooms as a sacriment seeing as the mushroom and the noles both from the same place... lake mikosukee |
| Posted by: half 2005-06-24 13:47 |
| #2 im purdy big in the native 'mercan church too, ima advise not mixing the black drink and the green corn tho |
| Posted by: half 2005-06-24 13:44 |
| #1 Doctor Mooney He's a man you must believe Helping anyone in need No one can succeed like Doctor Mooney Well, well, well, you're feeling fine Well, well, well, he'll make you Doctor Mooney |
| Posted by: Jackal 2005-06-24 13:43 |