Native Sun News Today: Lakota inmate awaits another chance for freedom

Tuesday, July 9, 2019  

PIERRE – An Oglala man wants his freedom after serving nearly 30 years in the South Dakota State penitentiary system.

Philip Yellow Bird Steele, Sr. 62, has been serving time in both men’s prisons in Sioux Falls (Maximum and High Medium) and now sits in Mike Durfee State Prison (Low Medium) in Springfield.

After two highly publicized trials following January, 1992, accusations by a non-Native American woman, Steele was eventually convicted of 2nd degree rape. Because Steele was a felon at the time of the rape charge, his sentence was elevated due earlier convictions of distribution of marijuana and for walking away from a trustee camp. He was sentenced under the guidelines of being a “habitual offender."

Steele received a sentence of 107 years.

“I am 62 years old now and have been incarcerated for this conviction since I was 34 years old,” Steele said in a letter provided to Native Sun News Today. “Just a short history on what brought me to this prison; I met a young non-Indian woman or wasicu in Sioux Falls, and after we went our separate ways she was stopped for speeding by a Sioux Falls Police Officer and that is when she accused me of rape. The month and year was Jan.1992.”

Steele’s trials were followed closely by the media at the time; having this type of public notice often convicts the accused in a court of public opinion.

“The state did offer a plea bargain before my case went to trial. They offered 10-15 years in prison for 2nd degree rape,” he said.

“Bringing this story up to date, I have a total of 18 years on Max and 2 years on High Med. And just a little over 8 years on Low Medium,” he said in referral to the levels of security in the South Dakota state penitentiary system. These tiers define the threat the inmate is to the general population, prison staff and other individuals the inmate is in contact with during his or her incarceration.

Steele has been a model prisoner during his time locked up. He has had a chip on his shoulder but over the years but had made the best of his time. He is an elder in terms of the prison population. He speaks to younger inmates and has taught many how to best serve their time.

“I have kept my prison conduct record clean. I have taken care of $22,000 worth of child support since my incarceration. I do have college credits and do have a degree in Auto Body which I received here at Mike Durfee State Prison,” said Steele. “I also received alcohol and drug treatment since my incarceration and recently Thinking For A Change Class.”

He credits being a co-founder of Fathers Against Meth (FAM First) as being one of his biggest accomplishments. Steele, along with Robert Horse and Chris Yellow Eagle, created FAM First because of the high numbers of Native American inmates who were coming into the prison system as a result of their addiction to meth and meth related crimes. The anti-meth organization founded inside the prison system has held two successful events at in the male prisons and had also gone to the Women’s Prison in Pierre to help female inmates create their own anti-meth campaigns.

“I have organized two anti-meth rallies here at the Mike Durfee State Prison and was transferred for one day to the Women’s State Prison in Pierre to conduct a FAM First anti-meth rally in 2017,” Steele said.

The rallies in Pierre continue and the state prison system has been supportive in these efforts. Native Sun News Today attended an anti-meth rally in Springfield and the event was well attended by outside supporters and prison staff alike.

According to Steele, the health services at Mike Durfee State Prison had put him on the list for compassionate parole in November 2018. He is asking for support from his family, friends and community to write letter of support of his parole to Gov. Kristi Noem.

Contact Native Sun News Today Correspondent Richie Richards at richie4175@gmail.com

Copyright permission Native Sun News Today