Indiana Court Hands Final Loss to Shabazz in Tevebaugh Defamation Suit, Under Anti-SLAPP Law

HOWARD COUNTY — In a major legal setback for Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, the Howard Circuit Court has officially handed him a total loss in his defamation lawsuit against Jeremiah Tevebaugh. Judge Lynn Murray issued a final order on January 8, 2026, not only rejecting Shabazz's attempt to win the case early but also dismissing his claims entirely under Indiana’s Anti-SLAPP law.

Shabazz’s Case Crumbles on Procedural Errors

Shabazz, a prominent media figure and former Indianapolis mayoral candidate, had initially sued Tevebaugh for comments made on "The Mouthwash" podcast. However, his attempt to secure a Summary Judgment failed due to significant legal errors:

• Failure to Present Evidence: Shabazz filed his motion without the required "designation of evidence."

• Inadmissible Filings: Documents he later submitted were rejected by the court because they were unauthenticated, unverified, or contained inadmissible hearsay.

• Missing "Actual Malice": As a public figure, Shabazz failed to prove that Tevebaugh acted with "actual malice" or entertained serious doubts about the truth of his statements.

Victory for Tevebaugh and Free Speech

The court ultimately ruled in favor of Tevebaugh’s motion to dismiss, citing Indiana’s Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute. This law protects citizens from meritless lawsuits designed to silence speech on matters of public concern.

Judge Murray noted that the dispute—which involved financial matters at the Marion County Fair—qualified as a matter of public interest. The court found that Tevebaugh acted in good faith after reviewing deposition transcripts and being personally familiar with the underlying allegations.

Final Judgment

With the dismissal of the claims regarding the podcast statements, the court has effectively ended this chapter of the litigation in Tevebaugh’s favor.

You can read the full judgment here: