Recently released inmate Robert Horse, center, stands with family near downtown Rapid City. South Dakota. Horse’s re-entry into society includes continuing the work he began behind bars. Photo by Richie Richards / Native Sun News Today

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Native Sun News Today: Former inmate connected with his culture behind bars

Monday, February 18, 2019

Former inmate talks about life in and out of prison

By Richie Richards
Native Sun News Today Correspondent

RAPID CITY -- Recently released inmate, Robert Horse (Oglala Lakota), 34, looks forward to continuing his work to support others while spending the next ten years on parole.

He realizes the odds are stacked against him because of the recidivism rate for Native Americans in South Dakota happens to be 86 percent, according to Horse.

At age 15, Horse was arrested and charged along with two others, Chaske White and Dawn Frazier (25 and 31 at the time), for the kidnapping, beating, and stabbing of Morning Star Shalimar Standing Bear. This murder took place on a back road just north of Rapid City in Meade County. Following the 20-minute brutal beating and stabbing in the early morning hours of June 16, 1999, Standing Bear was left for dead after having her throat cut with a beer bottle.

At the time, Horse had recently moved to Rapid City from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to stay with his half-brother, Jerry Horse. Soon thereafter, Horse had begun hanging out with White and Frazier on a regular basis. White was the leader of a gang called "Real Thug Family". Horse claims his participation in the murder was at the direction of White as part of a gang initiation following a night of drinking, according to court documents.

Originally charged with felony murder and kidnapping, Horse's charges were eventually reduced to aggravated assault and robbery. He was tried as an adult and began serving a 24-year and 9-month sentence at the age of 16. White and Frazier are serving life sentences for their roles in Standing Bear's kidnapping and murder. Horse insists that he was involved in the murder by “assisting on covering it up”, although the courts and other testimony had claimed otherwise. He eventually took an Alford Plea, which a defendant does not admit to the criminal act and asserts innocence. “I took the Alford Plea to end the case,” he said. “I witnessed it (murder) and I helped cover it up.”

Upon entering the South Dakota state prison system, Horse had several older Native American inmates take him under their wing. For the first time in his life, Horse was introduced to the sweat lodge and sacred pipe. The former street thug had no experience with religion or spirituality up until this point. This connection to a higher power changed his life, according to former inmate.

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“When I first went into the system, many of the guys were not thinking about their victim. I went to the sweat lodge and I prayed with the pipe. I asked for forgiveness for all victims; not just the victim of my crime,” Horse said of entering prison at the age of 16. “I hope they find peace in their lives and in their families. I started walking in a manner of correcting myself.”

Horse felt it was important to build himself from the inside spiritually in order to work towards forgiving himself for the crimes he committed. This spiritual awakening is something he wishes all Native American inmates would do upon doing their time.

“As a 16-year-old entering the prison system, it was very intimidating, very fearful. But the older population that were following the Red Road and cultural teachings had asked me to come to the ceremonies. They put themselves in a position of a father figure to me,” said Horse.

The mentorship of the older inmates for Horse had provided guidance and some type of security from the harsh reality of prison life. Seasoned inmates constantly look for weakness in inmates to prey upon them for needs and other items of survival. Horse said he began to get involved in the cultural activities.

“Before going to prison, I was like any other youth raised in the violence and poverty, the alcohol and addiction. I was lost,” Horse said. “It made me find a sense of peace and the ability to dig deep into my spirit and find a new direction I wanted in life.”

The parolee said the biggest daily challenge in prison was to keep a positive attitude and trying to empower himself to continue under the circumstances.

Robert Horse was paroled after 19+ years of confinement. He was released on Monday, February 4, 2019. “It was a sense of relief and happiness. But at the same time, on the inside (prison) you make oaths and you make promises under the instruction of the sacred pipe. It was to the pipe that I made these promises,” he said. In making these promises, Horse admits the next big challenge is to stick to those oaths made to his higher power. This is an integral and important part of his healing.

Horse’s growth on some levels has been stunted by his conviction and imprisonment. During his interview, Horse showed visible signs of years of institutionalization and he often times reverted back to a teenager in his demeanor. The recently released inmate is aware that it’s going to take time to heal from all that he has been through in his 34 years.

“When I was released, it was a sigh of relief, but a deep breath in getting ready for the next journey,” Horse stated. “One of the main promises I made was to get out and help the community, help the youth and the little babies. I want to be able to help women in their day-to-day struggles, like being a single mother and not having a father around.”