Tribe wins court battle over disputed land

AKWESASNE (WWNY) - A federal court has ruled in favor of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in a decades-long land dispute.

It stems from what’s known as the 1796 Treaty and the federal Non-Intercourse Act.

Tribe leaders released a statement Monday saying the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York ruled that a state purchase of reservation land in the 1800s was illegal.

Based on the 1796 Treaty, a square mile of land in Massena as well as several other areas are part of tribal lands.

Tribal Chief Beverly Cook said “We should all be proud of the perseverance that our recent and ancient ancestors displayed, who stood fast in their determination to protect our lands.”

We’ll have more on this development later this week.