The U.S. Attorney’s office in eastern Washington has added to its arsenal for prosecuting cases that involve Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
Bree Black Horse is a new assistant U.S. attorney who will focus on crimes involving Indigenous victims. She’s based in Yakima and working on cases based in the four Northwest states plus California. She is one of five attorneys nationwide (along with five coordinators paired with them) who have been assigned by the Justice Department to help federal authorities investigate and prosecute crimes with Indigenous victims.
“For the first time we’re dedicating permanent personnel to this issue inside the department. So when this program is fully staffed, and we’re nearly there — the Northwest regional coordinator was sworn in on Monday in Oregon — there will be 10 DOJ personnel solely dedicated to this issue,” she said.
Black Horse says the MMIP regional outreach program will help federal authorities coordinate investigations and lawsuits with other governments — state, local and tribal — that are also working violent cases involving Indigenous victims.
“What this program does is provide experienced and specialized support to U.S. attorney’s offices to address unresolved homicide cases and MMIP-related crimes that are often precursors to MMIP cases,” she said.
Black Horse is a member of the Seminole Nation in Oklahoma. She has practiced law in Indian Country for 10 years, most recently counseling tribal governments. She was once a public defender for the Yakama Tribe. She says her background makes her the ideal person for this job.
“I understand and have been through what our MMIP victims, survivors and their families have been through. I understand where the federal government or the state government and even where tribal governments have fallen short on this issue and it’s something that I’m personally passionate about,” she said.
Black Horse says the timing of her appointment is good, given the long history of violence against Indigenous women.
“We’re victims of violent crime at a rate much higher than the national average. Indigenous women and girls face a higher risk of being murdered than other racial or ethnic groups,” she said. “I believe, as a result of this program, which complements work that DOJ is already doing along with our tribal and state partners, we can end the cycle of violence so that our future generations don’t have to experience these same disparities, this same heartache and this same trauma.”
“The task is daunting, but I have received so much support and encouragement from tribal communities so far and, with the resources we have and the dedicated personnel, I believe we can make a difference,” she said.
The federal initiative complements work done in Washington, which has a task force focused on violent crimes involving MMIP victims , and has received federal money to investigate those cases.
