The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.

Leonard Peltier (born September 12, 1944) is a Native American activist and member of the American Indian Movement. In 1977 he was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for the murder of two FBI Agents who died during a 1975 shoot-out on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. There has been considerable debate over Peltier’s guilt and the fairness of his trial. Some supporters and organizations, including Amnesty International, consider him to be a political prisoner.^[1] Numerous appeals have been filed on his behalf; however, none have been ruled in his favor. Peltier is currently incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... AIM logo AIM flag The American Indian Movement (AIM), is a Native American activist organization in the United States. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... Oglala Sioux tribal flag Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (Oglala Oyanke in Lakota) is an Oglala Sioux Native American reservation located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a pressure group that promotes human rights. ... A political prisoner is someone held in prison or otherwise detained, perhaps under house arrest, because their ideas or image are deemed by a government to either challenge or threaten the authority of the state. ... Lewisburg as seen from Mays Drive In on the opposite bank of the West Branch Susquehanna River. ...

Early life

Leonard Peltier was born in September 1944 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the son of Leo Peltier and Alvina Robideau. He spent his early years living with his grandparents on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. Peltier became involved in the American Indian Movement (AIM), eventually becoming the only person to serve a lengthy prison term for any of numerous incidents arising from the conflicts that occurred on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the early 1970s.^{[citation needed]} Nickname: Motto: A Place of Excellence Location in North Dakota Coordinates: , Country State County Grand Forks County Founded June 15, 1870 Incorporated February 22, 1881 Government  - Mayor Michael Brown Area  - City  19. ... Tribal seal Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation is an Indian Reservation located primarily in northern North Dakota. ... AIM logo AIM flag The American Indian Movement (AIM), is a Native American activist organization in the United States. ... Oglala Sioux tribal flag Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (Oglala Oyanke in Lakota) is an Oglala Sioux Native American reservation located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ...

Shootout at Jumping Bull Ranch

On June 26, 1975, Special Agents Williams and Coler were allegedly searching for a young Pine Ridge man named Jimmy Eagle, wanted for questioning in connection with the recent assault and robbery of two local ranch hands. It is believed that he had stolen a pair of cowboy boots.^[2] Williams and Coler observed and approached a vehicle matching the description of a truck Eagle was said to have been in several days earlier. At the time, Peltier was a fugitive, with a warrant issued in Milwaukee charging unlawful flight to avoid prosecution for the attempted murder of an off-duty Milwaukee police officer (of which he was later acquitted). is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about Milwaukee in Wisconsin. ...

Williams radioed that he and Coler had come under high-powered rifle fire from the occupants of the vehicle and were unable to return fire to any effect with their .38 pistols and shotguns. FBI Special Agent Gary Adams was the first to respond to Williams' call for assistance, and he also came under intense gun fire from Jumping Bull Ranch. The . ...

The FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the local police spent much of the afternoon pinned down on Highway 18, waiting for other law enforcement officers to launch a flanking attack. At 2:30 p.m., a BIA rifleman in the flanking group got a bead on one of the shooters, Joe Stuntz, and killed him. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the Department of the Interior charged with the administration and management of 55. ...

At 4:30 p.m., authorities recovered the bodies of Williams and Coler at their vehicle, and at 6 p.m. laid down a cloud of tear gas and stormed the Jumping Bull houses, finding Stuntz's corpse clad in Coler's green FBI field jacket.

The others, authorities later reported, had slipped away from the compound after Stuntz's death, to cross White Clay Creek and hide in a culvert beneath a dirt road. With police focused on the storming of Jumping Bull, the group made a break for the southern hills. In the following days, they split into smaller groups and scattered across the country, setting off a nationwide manhunt that lasted eight months.

The FBI reported Williams had received a defensive wound from a bullet which passed through his right hand into his head, killing him instantly. Coler, incapacitated from earlier bullet wounds, had been shot twice in the head execution style. In total 125 bullet holes were found in the agents' vehicles, many from a .223 (5.56 mm) rifle. The FBI investigation concluded the agents were executed at close range by the same .223 caliber rifle. (Redirected from . ...

Aftermath

On September 5, 1975, Agent Williams' handgun, and shells from both Agents' handguns, were found in a vehicle near a residence where Dino Butler was arrested. is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On September 9, 1975, Peltier purchased a Plymouth station wagon in Denver, Colorado. The FBI sent out descriptions of it and a recreational vehicle (RV) in which Peltier and associates were believed to be traveling. An Oregon State Trooper stopped the vehicles based on the descriptions and ordered the driver of the RV to exit, but after a brief exchange of gunfire, Peltier escaped on foot. Authorities later identified the driver as Peltier. Agent Coler's handgun was found in a bag under the front seat of the RV, where authorities reported also finding Peltier's thumbprint. On December 22, 1975 he became the 335th person named by the FBI to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article refers to the state capital of Colorado. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... “RV” redirects here. ... is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the 1970s, for the third decade, the United States FBI continued to maintain a public list of the people it regarded as the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. ...

On September 10, 1975, a station wagon blew up on the Kansas Turnpike near Wichita, and a burned-up AR-15 was recovered, along with Agent Coler's .308 rifle. The car was loaded with weapons and explosives which were apparently accidentally ignited when placed too close to a hole in the exhaust pipe. Present in the car among others were Robert Robideau, Norman Charles, and Michael Anderson, said to be associates of Peltier. is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official language(s) English[2] Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq mi (213,096 km²)  - Width 211 miles (340 km)  - Length 417 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Kansas County Government  - Mayor Carl Brewer (D) Area  - City 359. ... The AR-15 is a lightweight, air-cooled, magazine fed, autoloading, centerfire rifle. ...

Peltier fled to Hinton, Alberta, Canada, where he hid out at a friend's cabin. He was eventually apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on February 6, 1976. Peltier was not armed at the time of his arrest. Hinton is a town in western Alberta, Canada, about 70 km northeast of Jasper and about 300 km west of Albertas capital city, Edmonton. ... RCMP redirects here. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Peltier fought extradition to the United States, a decision that backfired when Bob Robideau and Darelle "Dino" Butler, AIM members also present on the Jumping Bull compound at the time of the shootings, were found not guilty on the grounds of self-defense by a federal jury in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As Peltier fled to Canada and then fought extradition, he arrived too late to be tried with Robideau and Butler and was tried separately.

At his trial in United States District Court for the District of North Dakota in Fargo, North Dakota, a jury convicted Peltier of the murders of Coler and Williams and the judge sentenced him in April 1977. After a series of appeals, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed Peltier's conviction in July 1993.^[3] The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota, is the United States District Court or the Federal district court, whose jurisdiction is comprised of the state of North Dakota. ... “Fargo” redirects here. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

Alleged trial irregularities

There has been debate over Peltier’s guilt and the fairness of his trial. Several allegations have been made by Peltier’s supporters which they claim point to his innocence, and all of these have been disputed by the FBI:

• An FBI agent who testified that the agents followed a pickup truck onto the scene (a vehicle that could not be tied to Peltier) is alleged to have later changed his account to describe a red and white van, a vehicle type which Peltier did drive. Further, as the FBI did not record radio communications in 1975, there was an unresolved discrepancy between Agents as to whether Williams said he was pursuing a "red and white truck" or "pickup truck."

• Three teenaged Native American witnesses testified they saw Peltier approach the slain officers' vehicle, but they later alleged that the FBI had threatened and forced them to testify. The FBI answered that witnesses' testimony was in any case not necessary for conviction.

• An FBI ballistics expert testified that a shell casing found near the dead agents' bodies matched the gun tied to Peltier. Critics argued that an FBI teletype stating the firing pin of the recovered weapon did not match the shell casings proved that Peltier’s weapon was not the murder weapon. It was counter-argued in testimony by the FBI that although the marks from the firing pin did not match those on the casing, the firing pin had probably been replaced after the murders, and that the marks made by the rifle’s extractor were an exact match to the recovered weapon.

Murder conviction

Leonard Peltier was convicted and is currently incarcerated, serving two consecutive life sentences, for the murders of FBI Special Agents, Ronald A. Williams, and Jack R. Coler, who were killed in a 1975 shoot-out on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Peltier has been in prison since February 6, 1976. This article is about the institution. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Oglala Sioux tribal flag Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (Oglala Oyanke in Lakota) is an Oglala Sioux Native American reservation located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. ...

Peltier's conviction sparked great controversy and has drawn criticism from a number of sources. Numerous appeals have been filed on his behalf; none of the rulings have been made in his favor.

Post-trial debate and developments

Peltier is considered a political prisoner by some of his supporters and has received support from individuals and groups including Nelson Mandela, Rigoberta Menchú, Amnesty International, the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights, Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama), the European Parliament^[4], the Belgian Parliament^[5], the Italian Parliament, the Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Coretta Scott King, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. ^{[citation needed]} A political prisoner is someone held in prison or otherwise detained, perhaps under house arrest, because their ideas or image are deemed by a government to either challenge or threaten the authority of the state. ... For other people named Mandela, or other uses, see Mandela (disambiguation). ... Rigoberta Menchú Tum (b. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a pressure group that promotes human rights. ... The purpose of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights involves the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide through direct contact with individual governments and the provision of technical assistance where appropriate. ... Tenzin Gyatso is the fourteenth and current Dalai Lama. ... This article is about the Dalai Lama lineage. ... Established 1952, as the Common Assembly President Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP) Since 16 January 2007 Vice-Presidents 14 Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP) Alejo Vidal-Quadras (EPP) Gérard Onesta (Greens – EFA) Edward McMillan-Scott (ED) Mario Mauro (EPP) Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (PES) Luigi Cocilovo (ALDE) Mechtild... The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament, it consists of two chambers. ... The Parliament of Italy (Italian: Parlamento Italiano) is the national parliament of Italy. ... Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born 7 October 1931) is a South African cleric and activist who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. ... Coretta Scott King (April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was the wife of the assassinated civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. ... Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. ...

Peltier's supporters have given two different rationales for a Peltier pardon. One argument asserts that Peltier did not commit the murders and is innocent, and that he either had no knowledge of the murders (as he told CNN in 1999), or that he has knowledge implicating others which he will never reveal, or (as told in Peter Matthiessen's In the Spirit of Crazy Horse) that he approached and searched the agents but did not execute them. Another rationale for pardoning Peltier holds that the killings (no matter who committed them) occurred during a war-like atmosphere on the reservation in which FBI agents were terrorizing residents in the wake of the Pine Ridge standoff in 1972. The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... This article is about the year. ... Peter Matthiessen (born May 22, 1927 in New York City) is an American naturalist and author of historical fiction and non-fiction. ...

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 Peltier clemency; some speculate this was at least partially due to the pressure from these protests.^{[citation needed]} William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... Louis Freeh was the fifteenth director of the FBI. He oversaw the agency for nearly 10 years during one of the most difficult periods of its history. ...

In 2002, Peltier filed a civil rights lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the FBI, Louis Freeh, and a long list of FBI agents who had participated in the campaign against his clemency petition, alleging that they "engaged in a systematic and officially sanctioned campaign of misinformation and disinformation." On March 22, 2004, the suit was dismissed. ^[6] Also see: 2002 (number). ... The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is the United States District Court that hears cases originating in the District of Columbia under Federal law. ... is the 81st day of the year (82nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

No consensus has yet been reached regarding the events on Pine Ridge in 1975, even in and among Native American communities. News from Indian Country publisher Paul DeMain wrote in 2003 that an "unnamed delegation" with knowledge of the incident told him, "Peltier was responsible for the close range execution of the agents..." DeMain described the delegation as "grandfathers and grandmothers, AIM activists, Pipe Carriers and others who have carried a heavy unhealthy burden within them that has taken its toll."^[7] News from Indian Country is a nationwide publication of Indian Country Communications (ICC) that offers, according to its web site, national, cultural, and regional sections plus special interest articles, features, entertainment, letters, nationwide obituaries and births, and the most up-to-date pow-wow directory in the United States and...

In an editorial written in early 2003, DeMain wrote that the motive for the execution-style murder of AIM activist Anna Mae Pictou Aquash "allegedly was her knowledge that Leonard Peltier had shot the two agents, as he was convicted." DeMain did not accuse Peltier of participation in the murder. (In 2002 two other AIM members were indicted for the murder.) In response, Peltier launched a libel lawsuit on May 1, 2003, against DeMain. On May 25, 2004, Peltier withdrew the suit after he and DeMain reached a settlement, which involved DeMain issuing a statement where he wrote, “…I do not believe that Leonard Peltier received a fair trial in connection with the murders of which he was convicted. Certainly he is entitled to one. Nor do I believe, according to the evidence and testimony I now have, that Mr. Peltier had any involvement in the death of Anna Mae Aquash.’’^[8][9]DeMain did not, however, retract his central allegation: That the murderers' motive for killing Aquash was the fear that she might inform on Peltier.^[10] Anna Mae Aquash (also Anna Mae Pictou Aquash or Anna Mae Pictou; first name also spelled Annie Mae) (b. ...

In February 2004, Fritz Arlo Looking Cloud was tried for the murder of Anna Mae Pictou Aquash, and found guilty. On June 26, 2007, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered the extradition of John Graham to the United States, to stand trial for his alleged role in the murder of Annie Mae Aquash.^[11]

In Looking Cloud's trial, the prosecution argued that AIM's suspicion of Aquash stemmed from her having heard Peltier admit to the murders. The prosecution called as a witness Darlene “Kamook” Nichols, former wife of AIM leader Dennis Banks. She testified that in late 1975 Peltier confessed to shooting the FBI agents to a group of AIM activists who were at that time on the run from law enforcement. The fugitives included Nichols, her sister Bernie, her husband Dennis Banks, and Aquash, among several others. Nichols alleged that Peltier said, “The mother fucker was begging for his life, but I shot him anyway.” [2] Bernie Nichols-Lafferty also gave the same account of Peltier’s statement.[3] Other witnesses have testified that once Aquash came under suspicion of being an informant, Peltier interrogated her on the matter while holding a gun to her head.^[12] Peltier and David Hill later had Aquash participate in bomb-making so that her fingerprints would be on the bombs. The trio then planted these bombs at two power plants on the Pine Ridge reservation.^[13]

On February 10, 2004, Peltier issued a statement: “Kamook's testimony was like being stabbed in the heart while simultaneously being told your sister just died.” Peltier denounced Kamook Nichol's courtroom accusations as false, saying “I loved Kamook as my own family. I can't believe the $43,000 the FBI gave her was a determining factor for her to perjure herself on the witness stand. There must have been some extreme threat the FBI or their cronies put upon her.”[4]

After the Looking Cloud trial, Darlene Nichols married Robert Ecoffey, Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Law Enforcement Services, who was instrumental in the investigation that led to Looking Cloud's conviction. During the trial Nichols acknowledged receiving $42,000 dollars from the FBI in connection with her cooperation on the case [5], money she explained was compensation for her expenses in travelling to collect evidence by wearing a wire while visiting her ex-husband, Dennis Banks. Some of the money was for moving expenses so that she could move because of her fear of Banks [6].

Bruce Ellison – who has been Leonard Peltier's lawyer since the 1970s^[14] -- invoked his fifth amendment rights against self-incrimination and refused to testify at the grand jury hearings leading up to the Looking Cloud trial in 2003, or in the trial itself. During the trial, the federal prosecutor named Ellison as a co-conspirator in the Aquash case.^[15]Witnesses state that Ellison participated in interrogating Annie Mae Aquash on Dec. 11, 1975, shortly before her murder. ^[16]

In a February 27, 2006, decision, U.S. District Judge William Skretny ruled that the FBI did not have to hand over five of 812 documents relating to Peltier and held at their Buffalo field office. He ruled that those particular documents were exempted on the grounds of “national security and FBI agent/informant protection.” In his opinion Judge Skretny wrote, “Plaintiff has not established the existence of bad faith or provided any evidence contradicting (the FBI's) claim that the release of these documents would endanger national security or would impair this country's relationship with a foreign government.” In response, Michael Kuzma, a Buffalo lawyer and a member of Peltier's defense team said, “We're appealing. It's incredible that it took him 254 days to render a decision.” Kuzma further stated, “The pages we were most intrigued about revolved around a teletype from Buffalo ... a three-page document that seems to indicate that a confidential source was being advised by the FBI not to engage in conduct that would compromise attorney-client privilege.” Legal action has been taken by Peltier’s supporters in an attempt to secure more than 100,000 pages of documents from FBI field offices located throughout the U.S. claiming that these files should have been turned over at the time of his trial or following a Freedom of Information Act request filed soon after. ^[17][18] Nearly sixty countries around the world have implemented some form of freedom of information legislation, which sets rules on governmental secrecy. ...

In 2007, Peltier became a figure in a political controversy when billionaire David Geffen, a Peltier supporter, detached his financial support for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and funded Barack Obama's campaign instead. This caused an immense furor in the Clinton camp, and Geffen admitted he switched his support because he became disillusioned by Bill Clinton's refusal to pardon Peltier in circumstances where he pardoned Marc Rich, a billionaire felon and criminal.^[19] David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American record executive, film producer, theatrical producer, philanthropist. ... REDIRECT Hillary Rodham Clinton   This is a redirect from a title with another method of capitalisation. ... “Barack” redirects here. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Marc Rich (born Marc David Reich on December 18, 1934) is an international commodities trader. ... A billionaire is a person who has a net worth of at least one billion units of currency, such as United States Dollars (USD), Pounds or Euros. ...

Peltier for President

Peltier was the candidate for the Peace and Freedom Party in the 2004 Presidential race. While prison inmates convicted of felonies are sometimes prohibited from voting in the United States (Maine and Vermont are exceptions) ^[20], the United States Constitution has no prohibition against felons being elected to Federal offices, including President. (Eugene V. Debs received 913,664 votes (3.4%) in 1920 as the Socialist candidate for President while in prison for sedition.) The Peace and Freedom Party secured ballot status for Peltier only in California, where his presidential candidacy received 27,607 votes ^[21], approximately 0.2% of the vote in that state and approximately 0.02% of the nationwide vote. United States Peace and Freedom Party logo The Peace and Freedom Party (PFP) is a United States political party founded in 1967 as a leftist organization opposed to the Vietnam War. ... Presidential election results map. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Eugene Victor Debs (November 5, 1855 – October 20, 1926) was an American labor and political leader, one of the founders of the International Labor Union, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and five-time Socialist Party of America candidate for President of the United States. ... The Socialist Party of America (SPA) is a socialist political party in the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Marsha Feinland was a third-party candidate (Peace and Freedom Party) for President of the United States in the 1996 U.S. presidential election. ... United States Peace and Freedom Party logo The Peace and Freedom Party (PFP) is a United States political party founded in 1967 as a leftist organization opposed to the Vietnam War. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Presidential election results map. ...

In culture

protest sculpture, Liverpool, England

• The Robbie Robertson album "Contact From The Underworld Of Redboy" (1998), which deals with many Native American themes throughout, features the song "Sacrifice", in which Leonard Peltier gives his own account of his case and subsequent imprisonment via a recorded phone interview.
• At Rage Against the Machine shows, before the band would play the song 'Freedom', Zack De La Rocha would repeat "It's been 20 years, there's no proof and he's still in jail!". Also in the "Live and Rare" album on track 3 called "Bombtrack" Zack De La Rocha talked about Peltier. The music video for Freedom contains the story of Leonard Peltier.
• Toad the Wet Sprocket's song "Crazy Life," released on their final studio album "Coil," protests Peltier's imprisonment: "Anyway now, it don't seem right / He's in there and you're on the outside / What have you done with Peltier / Who did you think you’d taken away?"
• Defunct Philly rap trio The Goats make several mentions of Leonard Peltier on their politically charged 1992 album 'Tricks of the Shade', which include a skit establishing Leonard Peltier as a featured freak in Uncle Scam's Federally Funded Freak Show. Note these lyrics from 'Do the Digs Dug': "Leonard Peltier Leonard Peltier Who da hell is that, why the fuck should ya care? In jail, in jail, in jail like a dealer Fuck George Bush says my T-Shirt squeeler Please oh please set Leonard P. free Cause ya wiped out his race like an ant colony."
• The movie Thunderheart, which starred Val Kilmer and came out in 1992, is loosely based on the 1975 incident at Pine Ridge. In particular, one character named Jimmy Looks Twice (played by John Trudell), is a powerful visionary who is sought by the FBI for the murder of two FBI officers — a situation more than mildly resembling Leonard Peltier's scenario. Near the end of the movie, he almost sacrificially gives himself up to FBI capture, after explaining the power of sacrifice & martyrdom.
• Buffy Sainte-Marie also wrote about Leonard Peltier and the events surrounding his trial in 'Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee': "We got the federal marshals / We got the covert spies / We got the liars by the fire / We got the FBIs / They lie in court and get nailed / and still Peltier goes off to jail." Indigo Girls popularized this song on their "1200 Curfews" album.
• "Incident at Oglala" (1991), a documentary directed by Michael Apted and produced by Robert Redford, examines the 1975 slayings and subsequent legal battles. By interviewing legal experts, eyewitnesses, and former judges, lawyers, and jury members involved in the various trials, this documentary presents the many alleged inconsistencies in the federal case against Peltier.
• Ben Harper has appeared in several concerts and other public performances with the words "Free Leonard Peltier" written on the face of his guitar.
• Peltier is mentioned and quoted in the "four handed" novel Muertos Incómodos (Uncomfortable Dead), from Mexican writer Paco Ignacio Taibo II and the guerrilla leader Subcomandante Marcos. Marcos quotes a letter from January 2004 in his attempt to find a definition of evil.
• Over 500 celebrities, politicians and organizations worldwide have signed a letter/petition in support of Leonard Peltier. The signatories of the IPF (International Peltier Forum) include amongst others, Michael Apted, Kris Kristofferson, Peter Matthiessen, Madonna, Bono, Sting, Vivienne Westwood, Giorgio Armani, Cher, Kylie Minogue, Elton John, Oliver Stone, Danielle Mitterrand, Desmond Tutu, Mikhail Gorbachev, Raquel Welch, Joan Collins, Ozzy Osbourne, Bianca Jagger, and Kate Moss.
• The band Corporate Avenger have frequently posted "Free Peltier" signs in their quotes or posters in the song "FBI File" Leonard is mentioned.
• Leonard Peltier is mentioned in a song by Anti-Flag entitled "Mumia's Song". They say his name in the bridge while naming political prisoners.
• Little Steven wrote a song about the case. The song "Leonard Peltier" appears on the album Revolution (1988): "June ´75 Pine Ridge Reservation / Two FBI trespass Lakota Nation / Looking for trouble their army waiting outside" etc.
• Rap duo Dead Prez refer to Leonard Peltier in their song "I Have a Dream Too."
• Basque singer Fermin Muguruza made a song called Leonard Peltier Free! for his third solo album, In-komunikazioa
• French singer Renaud wrote a song called Leonard's song, replacing Leonard Peltier's case in the native American fight context, in the album Rouge sang, published in 2006.
• American grindcore band Anal Cunt wrote a song called "Laughing while Leonard Peltier gets Raped in Prison" for their 1999 album It Just Gets Worse.

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 374 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (499 × 800 pixel, file size: 119 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 374 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (499 × 800 pixel, file size: 119 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Robbie Robertson (born Jaime Robert Robertson, 5 July 1943, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a songwriter, guitarist and singer, best known for his membership in The Band. ... This article is about the American rock band. ... Zacarías Manuel Zack de la Rocha (born January 12, 1970 in Long Beach, California) is a heavy metal vocalist, rapper, musician, poet, and activist, and is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of Rage Against the Machine. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... Tracklist Freedom Freedom [Live-version] Take The Power Back [Live-version] ... Members of Toad the Wet Sprocket on the cover of Acoustic Dance Party. ... The Goats were an alternative hip-hop quartet from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. ... Thunderheart (1992) is a crime movie directed by Michael Apted with Fred Ward and Val Kilmer. ... Val Edward Kilmer[1] (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... John Trudell (born February 15, 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American author, a poet, musician and a former political activist. ... 7 Buffy Sainte-Marie Buffy Sainte-Marie (born February 20, 1941) is a Canadian First Nations musician, composer, visual artist, educator and social activist. ... Indigo Girls are an American folk rock duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. ... Incident at Oglala is a 1992 documentary by Michael Apted, narrated by Robert Redford. ... Michael Apted (born February 10, 1941 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom) is a British director, producer, writer and actor. ... Robert Redford (born Charles Robert Redford, Jr. ... Ben Harper (born Benjamin Chase Harper on October 28, 1969 in Claremont, California, USA) is an American musician. ... Paco Ignacio Taibo II (born 11 January 1949 in Gijón, Asturias), birth name Francisco Ignacio Taibo Mahojo, is a Mexican writer, politician and academic. ... Subcomandante Marcos in Chiapas Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos (allegedly born June 19, 1957 in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico), also known as Delegado Cero (Delegate Zero) in matters concerning the Other Campaign, describes himself as the spokesperson for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) but, due to his prominence in the EZLN... Michael Apted (born February 10, 1941 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom) is a British director, producer, writer and actor. ... Kristoffer Kris Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is an influential American country music songwriter, singer and actor. ... Peter Matthiessen (born May 22, 1927 in New York City) is an American naturalist and author of historical fiction and non-fiction. ... This article is about the American entertainer. ... For other uses, see Bono (disambiguation). ... This article is about the musician. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Armani redirects here. ... This article is about Cher, the entertainer. ... Kylie Ann Minogue (IPA: [1]) (born May 28, 1968) is a Grammy award-winning Australian pop singer-songwriter and occasional actress. ... Sir Elton Hercules[1] John CBE[2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is a five-time Grammy and one-time Academy Award-winning English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist. ... William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946), known simply as Oliver Stone, is a three-time Academy Award-winning American film director and screenwriter. ... Danielle Mitterrand (born Danielle Emilienne Isabelle Gouze 29 October 1924 in Verdun) is the widow of François Mitterrand and president of the foundation France Libertés Fondation Danielle Mitterrand. ... Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born 7 October 1931) is a South African cleric and activist who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. ... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (Russian: ), surname more accurately romanized as Gorbachyov; (born 2 March 1931) is a Russian politician. ... Jo Raquel Tejada (born September 5, 1940), best known by her stage name Raquel Welch, is an American actress who reached fame during the 1960s. ... Joan Henrietta Collins OBE (born May 23, 1933) is a Golden Globe Award winning English actress and bestselling author. ... Ozzy redirects here. ... Bianca Jagger at the Dropping Knowledge projects Table of Free Voices in Berlin, September 2006 Bianca Jagger (born Bianca Pérez Morena de Macías on May 2, 1950, in Managua, Nicaragua) is a social and human rights advocate. ... Not to be confused with Kate Mosse. ... Corporate Avenger during The New Testament era. ... Anti-Flag is an American political punk band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, consisting of four members: Justin Sane (lead guitar, lead vocals), Chris #2 (bass, vocals), Chris Head (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), and Pat Thetic (drums). ... A political prisoner is anyone held in prison or otherwise detained, perhaps under house arrest, because their ideas or image either challenge or pose a real or potential threat to the state. ... Dead Prez is a critically acclaimed underground hip-hop duo of alternative rappers stic. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ... Fermin Muguruza (Irún, Guipúzcoa, Spain) is a Basque nationalist rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer and disc label manager. ... Renaud Séchan, known as Renaud, (born in Paris on May 11, 1952) is a popular French singer. ... Rouge sang is a studio album by French singer Renaud Séchan released in 2006. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Grindcore, often shortened to grind, is an evolution of hardcore punk, most commonly associated with death metal, a very different though similarly extreme style of music. ... Anal Cunt is a band from Arlington, Massachusetts that has been categorized as noise, hardcore, grindcore, and shock rock, as their style has changed much since their original fornication. ... This article is about the year. ... It Just Gets Worse is the title of an Anal Cunt album, released in 1999. ...

Works

from Leonard Peltier:

• "Prison Writings: My Life is my Sun Dance". New York, 1999.

about Leonard Peltier:

• Ward Churchill, Jim Vander Wall: "AGENTS OF REPRESSION. The FBI's Secret Wars Against the Black Panther Party and the American Indian Movement". South End Press, Cambridge, MA 1988, 2002.

 Writer Sues Peltier, Kansas City Star, July 3, 1992 Claims Peltier is "a con man and a fraud." 

Ward LeRoy Churchill (born October 2, 1947) is an American writer and political activist. ... The Black Panther Party (originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was an African American organization founded to promote civil rights and self-defense. ... AIM logo AIM flag The American Indian Movement (AIM), is a Native American activist organization in the United States. ... South End Press is a non-profit book publisher which is run on a model of participatory economics, and was founded in 1977. ...

Scott Anderson

, The Martyrdom of Leonard Peltier, Outside Magazine, July 1995

 http://outside.away.com/magazine/0795/7f_leo1.html 

References

This article is about the year. ... is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... E&P redirects here. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

External links

• Leonard Peltier: "When Truth Doesn't Matter. Thirty Years of FBI Harassment and Misconduct". CounterPunch, January 9th, 2007.
• Crimelibrary.com article on Leonard Peltier
• Democracy Now! — Interview with Leonard Peltier from jail in 2000
• Documents from Leonard Peltier's FBI File
• Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minneapolis Division: Leonard Peltier Case
• FreePeltier.org
• International Forum of VIPS for Peltier
• Leonard Peltier Memorial Bridge
• Leonard Peltier on Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
• No Parole Peltier Association
• Official International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee Website
• Peltier's 2002 Parole hearing
• Peltier's LPDC blog
• A.I.M (the American Indian Movement)

Counterpunch can refer to: In traditional typography, a counterpunch is a type of punch used to create the negative space in or around a character. ...

Video

• Michael Apted. (1991) Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story [DVD].