Abstract
On July 4, 1986, a Cherokee tribal member was shot in the leg and arrested by a deputy in Adair County, Oklahoma. In a subsequent civil action, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that absent a statutory grant of authority by Congress or consent from the tribe itself, Oklahoma law enforcement officers have no criminal jurisdiction “in Indian country” unless the crime is committed by a non-Indian against another non-Indian or the crime is a victimless crime committed by a non-Indian. Realizing that they were no longer protected by the state, the Cherokee Nation responded by creating its own Marshal Service. This article describes the evolution of that agency, checkerboard jurisdiction, and the need for cross deputization. In particular, the article addresses the recent political tribal crisis that almost devastated the newly formed Marshal Service and the tribe's current struggle to regain stability in the politically charged aftermath.