Parole Hearing for Leonard Peltier!

If President Obama was for real, he'd pardon Leonard Peltier. While parole might seem like a good thing, let's keep in mind that his parole officer would have the power to fuck him over and send him right back to prison for good. An innocent man should be exonerated.

If the information in the book, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse , is undeniabley correct; what is the big deal? Free the brother! Can anyone say the information in the book is wrong? Free, the Brother if not. Are you aware of this situation Mr. Obama? Pardon the Brother if it's all true!

Eddie Jimenez

There are many many things other than the book you can research this matter on; Wikipedia has most of the updates but there are many other things such as statements from others from the actual court room that is actually here on the internet. I hope you can find what is needed to displace any doubt. Leonard Peltier needs to be set FREE, he is INNOCENT.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PAROLE HEARING FOR LEONARD PELTIER!

http://www.aimwest.info
http://www.aimovement.org
http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

AIM-WEST announces press conference, July 28, 2009 in San Francisco:

Leonard Peltier, in prison for over 33 years, will have his first full parole hearing since 1993, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, July 28, 2009. All around the world prayer vigils are being held to raise attention to Leonard’s plight. Tuesday's hearing will be the best opportunity Leonard will get during his entire period of incarceration to a fair review of his case before the US Parole Commission.

In San Francisco, the public has been invited to come and share time and words in solidarity with the American Indian community regarding the case of Leonard Peltier. A sunrise prayer vigil will begin Tuesday, at 6 am and last until 3 pm at the U.S. Federal Building: 450 Golden Gate Street (between Polk and Larkin). There will be drummers and singers, speakers and other activities. Join us in demanding the freedom of Leonard Peltier on his parole hearing day. All spiritual and ecumenical groups are welcome and invited to express their solidarity for Leonard for the past three decades.

America is on Parole! We need to hold the U.S. justice system accountable for their crimes against the Indigenous peoples of this land. We only need to understand the history and depth of this government’s treatment toward the American Indian, and their continued attempts to demonize the American Indian Movement to know why Leonard Peltier is in prison still today.

Leonard Peltier is a member of the Anishinabe Dakota and Lakota Nations. A member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), he went to assist the Oglala Lakota peoples on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota in the mid-1970s with community development. On June 26, 1975, a shoot- out occurred between FBI agents and members of the American Indian community at Pine Ridge resulting in the death of FBI special agents Ronald Williams and Jack R. Coler, and one American Indian, Joe Killsright Stuntz. (Read the book, “In the Spirit of Crazy Horse” by Peter Matthiessen for details of the case and the trial).

Additionally, a decision filed by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on December 18, 2002 explicitly states that Mr. Peltier’s sentences “were imposed in violation of [Peltier’s] due process rights because they were based on information that was false due to government misconduct,” and, according to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, in 2003: “Much of the government’s behavior at the Pine Ridge Reservation and its prosecution of Leonard Peltier is to be condemned. The government withheld evidence. It intimidated witnesses. These facts are undisputed.” (keep in mind this was in 2002 when this statement was made however they knew this long before it was finally admitted)

Despite these admissions, Leonard Peltier has served over 33 years in prison. Although Leonard Peltier maintains that he did not kill the agents, he has openly expressed remorse and sadness over their deaths. Despite his imprisonment, which poses numerous barriers, Mr. Peltier has made remarkable contributions to humanitarian and charitable causes. Leonard Peltier has been widely recognized for his humanitarian works and has won several human rights awards, including the North Star Frederick Douglas Award; Federation of Labour (Ontario, Canada) Humanist of the Year Award; Human Rights Commission of Spain International Human Rights Prize; and the 2004 Silver Arrow Award for Lifetime Achievement.

In 2009, Leonard Peltier was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the sixth consecutive year.
http://www.aimwest.info

See Wikipedia:

Near the end of President Bill Clinton's presidency in 2000, rumors began circulating that he was considering granting Peltier clemency. This led to a campaign against the possibility, culminating in a protest outside the White House by about five hundred FBI agents and their families, and a letter opposing clemency from then FBI director Louis Freeh. Clinton did not grant or deny Peltier clemency. In January 2009, President George W. Bush denied Peltier's clemency petition before leaving office.

I'm sure Obama knows.

This incarceration of Mr. Leonard Peltier; his release is long over due to be done by the American government I can only ask the creator to support mr. Leonard Peltier during his wrongly lengthy jail term.

May Leonard be free! Justice should prevail today. The international community is watching, hoping, and praying for Leonard and all political prisoners. Let freedom ring once more, in such an aspiring nation as it is in our "United" States of America

I hope that Leonard Peltier`s nightmare will be finally over by today`s decision of the parole commission. It would be too shameful,if this gross injustice were permitted to stand.

HOKA HEY!!!! FREE LEONARD A FREE SPIRIT WHO RESPECTS THE CREATOR OF US ALL!
KEEP ON THE RED ROAD!!!!!!!!!!

A little more re: presidential Pardon: Near the end of the 2000 election campaign Bill Clinton was making get-out-the-vote calls and called Amy Goodman of Democracy Now. She asked him if he would pardon Peltier and he said he was considering it, but didn't know much about it (a lie). The FBI responded and organized a small protest. I have never seen any mention that there were 500 FBI agents and families at the march, as a previous commenter here wrote. I think there were more like 25 or 50. Or is my memory faulty? The event took place I think on or near Dec. 10, 2000 (Human Rights Day) and received lots of press coverage - far more than an actual Human Rights Day rally FOR Peltier that ocurred the same day. I still don't believe 500 agents protested, but as author Harvey Arden pointed out, they could have been working to prevent a terrorist attack rather than engaging in a vindictive attack on Peltier (if you believe the FBI is really interested in preventing "terrorism").

Nevertheless, the FBI pressured and probably threatened Slick Willy Clinton, with the help of the corrupt former So Dakota Governor Wild Bill Janklow (later convicted of manslaughter when he killed a man while driving drunk at high speeds) and Senator Tom Daschle. The late AIM leader Vernon Bellecourt blamed Daschle for Clinton's denial of clemency for Leonard Peltier. Earlier this year, Pres Obama thought Daschle would make a swell Secretary of Health and Human Services, until his tax evasion issues caught up with him. I'm sure he's still doing well as lobbyist with his insider connections...

It should be noted that the campaign for Executive Clemency began when GHW Bush was still president, in 1991, and that Hillary Clinton was also approached during the 1992 presidential campaign by supporters of Leonard to support Executive Clemency. Like her husband, she lied and said she was concerned, then did nothing for eight years while Leonard's health declined serving time for a crime he did not commit. Senator Bill Bradley indicated that he might pardon Leonard when asked by activists in New Hampshire in 2000; Al Gore did not. Anyone who thinks Al Gore would have pardoned Leonard is mistaken and anyone who thinks Obama would pardon Peltier is also mistaken. Obama is a hostage to the same military-industrial complex and federal agencies that act above the law. If they had any integrity, they would have arrested Bush II.

I certainly hope Mr. Peltier is freed today and can join his family.