Navajo Reporter Marley Shebala Violently Arrested by Navajo Police and Jailed

Marley Shebala, Dine'/Zuni Pueblo News reporter was violently arrested by Navajo police while being evicted from her from her home, after she filed an ethics complaint against Navajo President Buu Nygren. Marley's screams during the painful arrest can be heard on her livestream, which shows a locksmith entering her home, and her daughter handcuffed. She was jailed for more than 18 hours and released.

Navajo Reporter Marley Shebala Violently Arrested by Navajo Police, After Filing Ethics Complaint on Navajo President

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, October 16, 2025

WINDOW ROCK, Navajo Nation -- Navajo Police were sent to evict Marley Shebala, Dine' Zuni Pueblo reporter, from her home. Marley, 73, screamed in pain as she was arrested by Navajo police. Marley had filed an ethics complaint against Navajo President Buu Nygren, and was reporting on the ongoing corruption in the Navajo tribal government.

"I am 73 years old, and they have me handcuffed in my home with my daughter, our Navajo police, to serve and protect," Marley says, as she continues to livestream. Navajo police used a locksmith to enter her home, before the violent arrest.

"I am not standing up, I'm not doing anything for you guys, if you want me to go you can drag me," she said, and then screamed in pain, "My arm! my arm!" Marley continued to scream from the pain during the violent arrest by Navajo police.

Marley's livestream shows the Navajo police serving her a home eviction document. Marley said she had no advance notice, there was no hearing, and her attorney had been disbarred.

Then, Marley and her daughter, handcuffed, tell the Navajo police that the Navajo police never respond when there is a home burglary, car theft, or missing person. It was the community, not the Navajo police, who caught burglars.

"No one read me my rights," Marley said during her arrest. She also points out that her attorney had been disbarred during this process.

Marley was jailed for more than 18 hours before being released.

Continue reading at Censored News

https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2025/10/navajo-reporter-marley-shebala-released.html

Statement by Marley Shebala, Censored News, Oct. 20, 2025

Greetings Relatives/Frens/Humans,

AHE’HEE, Much Appreciation & Gratitude for all the Prayers. I truly believe in prayer.

I’m safe & so is my little family. We’re praying for affordable shelter & a storage space. I continue to pray for a strong, ethical attorney.

I’m 73-years-old & so Recovery Time from more than 18 hours of jail time is taking much longer than I expected.

I have received so many Helping Hands for donations. Please use Zelle mshebala [at] gmail.com and I would greatly appreciate it if you would say how to use your donation. I’ll provide Donation Updates.

As soon as we find shelter & storage, I can send info for people to make their donations directly to housing & storage sites & attorney fees when we find them.

Ahe’hee to Shideezhi Brenda, who continues The Good Fight but especially Supporting other Investigative Journalists/Muckrakers.

Peace and Luv , Marley & Family

Note from Censored News publisher, Brenda Norrell

I'm happy to see Marley is released from jail and healing. We worked together as news reporters at Navajo Times in the early 1980s. Marley has continued the good fight her entire life, with courage and dignity, in her homeland, the Navajo Nation, with or without pay for more than 40 years.

It has become nearly impossible for local, honest, grassroots reporters who actually show up, and are present, to survive. It is difficult to survive both the politics, and the financial and moral collapse of the news industry.

Censored News is in its 19th year, with no ads or revenues, as a service to Indigenous Peoples and human rights.

https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/