 There he was arrested by the Army for having left the reservation, but he gained the sympathy of Brigadier General George Crook.With help from prominent attorneys working "pro bono," Standing Bear filed a "habeas corpus" suit challenging his arrest.The US District Court judge's decision in "Standing Bear v. Crook" (1879) established the right of Indian people to exercise "habeas corpus" and their legal status as citizens under US law.