Three charged in Leupp brawl

WINDOW ROCK

Three women now face charges after a chapter house planning meeting turned violent.

On June 5, Leupp resident Violet White was arrested for getting into a physical fight with Leupp Chapter Manager Marjorie Sangster.

White called for a forensic audit to be conducted as she and other community members wanted to see where the chapter house’s money was going.

Shortly after the audit was mentioned, White’s sister-in-law, Carlotta White, walked into the meeting and heard Sangster ask what a forensic audit was.

In a previous Navajo Times interview about the meeting, Carlotta said she asked Sangster why she didn’t know what a forensic audit was when working for the Navajo Nation.

At that point, Sangster, Violet, and Carlotta began to argue.

Community members in attendance said Sangster was pointing her pen in Violet and Carlotta’s faces, and that’s when a fight broke out between Violet and Sangster.

Later that night, Violet was taken into custody at the Tuba City Detention Center, where she was held for 18 hours and then released.

As of July 21, Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch and Navajo Nation Chief Prosecutor Vernon L. Jackson Sr. announced the three women involved are facing charges.

Violet faces battery and unlawful imprisonment, filed by the Dilkon District Court.

Carlotta was not taken into custody but faces three charges: tampering with evidence, battery, and disorderly conduct filed by the Dilkon District Court.

Sangster was also not taken into custody but faces two charges: disorderly conduct and conduct in conformity with applicable rules and laws filed by the Dilkon District Court.

Jackson said the women involved in the fight at Leupp would be held accountable for their actions, as chapter meetings should be a safe environment.

The charges filed against each of the women are in the hands of the court, to which Jackson said, “They’re innocent until proven guilty.”

“We’re all required to follow by the standard of care, standard of conduct, the letter of the law, we’re all responsible for that,” said Jackson.

Currently, the Dilkon Police District is continuing to investigate the matter.

Violet said she doesn’t know what its investigation entails as she has not been contacted to get her side of the story.

“I know there’s a video going around. I don’t know if they’re basing their investigation off of that video because no one came to me, no one questioned me,” said Violet.

Going back to the night Violet was arrested, Violet said the responding officer, Navajo Police Sgt. Johnson of Dilkon Police District, headed into the chapter house and listened to the chapter officials and nobody else.

“I know for a fact they (Dilkon Police District and Navajo Nation Government) protect each other. They do not protect the people. That’s just my opinion,” said Violet.

Violet said she had no idea of the charges until she saw Branch’s Facebook post, which details the charges. She said seeing it on social media first rather than being directly communicated to her was strange.

Along with not understanding why she wasn’t told of her charges before it was posted on social media, Violet said she didn’t know why she was made to be the bad guy when she was attacked first.

But the charges won’t stop her from asking for transparency and accountability from the chapter, said Violet.

“I’ve had people come to me and say, ‘Thank you for speaking up, thank you for saying something,’ so I know it means a lot, and I know it needs to be done. I won’t be surprised if this all goes in Marjorie Sangster’s favor,” said Violet.

Violet’s effort for help from the Navajo Nation goes back to former President Jonathan Nez’s administration when she traveled to Window Rock to get an intervention for her chapter house.

“We went out there, we protested for transparency and accountability, and nobody came out,” said Violet.

Violet and Carlotta recall a meeting – shortly after the June 5 incident – with chapter officials and personnel from the Navajo Nation government, including Branch. Violet and Carlotta said that the meeting should’ve included the community.

Carlotta said, “They should’ve set up a community meeting. That’s the only thing I didn’t like. It seems like they hid behind doors again.”

However, the Leupp community got together to discuss the matter, and Carlotta said she appreciated that because everyone had a chance to be heard.

“They (Navajo Nation government and chapter officials) need to listen to the community. That’s the only thing the community wants, and address the community the way they’re supposed to,” said Carlotta.

When Carlotta received news of her charges, she was surprised to see the battery and tampering with evidence, and like Violet, she found out through social media, but she’s not worried about the charges.

Agreeing with Violet, Carlotta said the responding officer was one-sided in his evaluation and did not look at Carlotta’s statement. She said she filed a complaint with Dilkon PD but hasn’t heard from it.

The Navajo Times reached out to Sangster with four text messages and eight phone calls and has not heard back.

Overall, Branch said the behavior exhibited at the chapter meeting was unacceptable.

Chapter houses need to be a safe space, Branch said, because of the families and elders who congregate there.

“It absolutely must be free of violence,” said Branch.

Read more in the July 27 edition of the Navajo Times.

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