Friend,
I helped collect evidence to defend hundreds of Native people who were indicted with criminal charges and political imprisonment for standing up for sovereignty during the occupation at Wounded Knee 50 years ago.
After the occupation, the FBI continued harassing members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and people on that reservation. When a massive shootout in 1975 ended with a young Native man and two FBI agents dead, the FBI arrested AIM activist Leonard Peltier.
To this day, Peltier continues to maintain his innocence, and there’s a LOT of evidence to back him up. The FBI coerced witnesses to get false statements, all of which were later recanted. The FBI also withheld key evidence showing that the bullets that killed the FBI officers did not come from Peltier’s gun.
Despite this, Leonard Peltier is still serving time in a maximum security prison 48 years later. At 78 years old, he is the longest-serving political prisoner in the U.S. Together with a broad coalition of organizations representing millions of people across the country, we’re asking you to join the fight for Leonard’s freedom.
FBI misconduct and constitutional violations have stolen years from Peltier’s life.
A former FBI agent familiar with his case has written to President Biden asking to release Peltier. And former federal prosecutor who oversaw Peltier’s post-trial sentencing and appeals also wrote to Biden asking for clemency, saying :
“I have realized that the prosecution and continued incarceration of Mr. Peltier was and is unjust. We were not able to prove that Mr. Peltier personally committed any offense on the Pine Ridge Reservation.”
During the trial, one of the jurors even admitted to prejudice against Peltier for being Native. The only way Leonard Peltier can get his freedom restored is through public pressure on President Biden.
The demand is urgent : 78-year-old Peltier suffers from many health issues including diabetes and kidney disease, and his condition has worsened since getting COVID last year in prison.
He deserves to be reunited with his family and to hug his grand-children while he still can.
Hawwih (thank you) for taking action today,
Judith Le Blanc (Caddo)
Executive Director
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire