Nearly 20 years old, Indians' lawsuit against state police finally goes to trial

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The last 16 plaintiffs in a 19-year-old lawsuit against the state police are scheduled to go to trial today over a 1997 Indian protest over state taxes.

They'll act as their own lawyers. The rest of the original 98 plaintiffs settled with the state this year for $2.7 million.

The protesters claimed troopers used excessive force in breaking up a peaceful demonstration alongside Interstate-81 on May 18, 1997, then covered up their wrongdoing.

http://www.syracuse.com/crime/index.ssf/2016/09/nearly_20_years_old_indians_lawsuit_against_state_police_finally_goes_to_trial.html#incart_river_index