Leonard Peltier Nominated for President

Leonard Peltier Nominated For President by Peace and Freedom Party
POLITICAL PRISONER ON THE BALLOT IN CALIFORNIA
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Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Info: (785) 842-5774/ (785) 842-5796 (fax)

Lawrence, Kansas, February 11, 2004 -- Kevin Shelley, Secretary of the
State of California has announced that Leonard Peltier will be on the
primary election ballot as a candidate for the Peace and Freedom Party's
Presidential nomination.

Leonard Peltier is deemed as a political prisoner by Amnesty International
and has been unjustly incarcerated for nearly 3 decades. Peltier was
convicted of committing the crime of murdering two FBI agents, even though
the prosecution has since admitted in open court (Oct. 15, 1985) that the
government did not have proof of who killed their agents. The courts have
also admitted (10th Circuit Court of Appeals) that "the prosecution of Mr.
Peltier is to be condemned; they withheld evidence.coerced testimony. These
facts are undisputed".

Leonard Peltier is an advocate of peaceful resolution of all issues and has
been instrumental in getting people from different tribes with a history of
animosity to come together in peace. He has piloted the Leonard Peltier
Health Care Reform Package whose intent is to fundamentally alter health
care delivery on reservations throughout the US. Peltier has established a
scholarship at NYU for Native Students seeking law degrees, has implemented
job creation/job training programs and is the sponsoring father of two
children in ChildReach. Peltier has sponsored clothing, emergency food and
toy drives and distributes to Head Start, halfway houses and women's
centers. Peltier serves on the board of the Rosenberg Fund for Children and
donates his artwork to several human rights and social welfare
organizations, including the Leonard Peltier Charitable Foundation. He has
been widely recognized for his efforts and has won several human rights
awards, including the North Star- Frederick Douglas Award; Humanist of the
Year Award and most recently, is a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize. View
Leonard's candidate statement at:
http://www.voterguide.ss.ca.gov/cand/pres_pf.html

Mr. Peltier's choice as Vice-President is Barry Bachrach, lead counsel for
Peltier. Mr. Bachrach is a Litigation Partner with extensive experience in
managing and handling a wide variety of litigation. He graduated Magna Cum
Laude from the University of Maine, School of Law, has authored several
legal publications and is currently co-authoring a book about the
Massachusetts Constitution. Bachrach has bar admissions in the states of
Maine, Massachusetts and Minnesota and in the United Claims Court, Federal
Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the 1st
Circuit.

Mr. Bachrach has been with the Defense Committee for 3 years and believes
that Leonard's campaign will offer hope to the oppressed, bringing back the
principles that this country was founded upon, regaining the soul that this
country has lost. Bachrach believes that Native Americans are the
foundation of this country, spiritual people who cherish the earth, not
strive to own it. For more information about the campaign:
bbachrach [at] bowditch.com.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse

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