Leonard Peltier Set for Parole Hearing in June

By Isaac White.

Leonard Peltier, a longstanding symbol in the fight for Native American rights and a central figure in the American Indian Movement (AIM), is set to face a crucial parole hearing on June 10, 2024. At age 79, after nearly 50 years behind bars, this hearing could be pivotal, not only for Peltier but also for the broader discourse on justice and Indigenous rights in America.

The Official Ad Hoc Committee for Leonard Peltier has announced that his legal team is vigorously preparing for the upcoming parole hearing by gathering expert testimony and evidence to advocate for his release. Given Peltier’s advanced age and deteriorating health, the committee is urging supporters to press the Parole Commission for a decision that could end his decades-long imprisonment.

Jenipher Jones, Esq., Peltier’s lead attorney, emphasizes the harsh realities of his incarceration: "The struggle for medical care for Leonard is almost as old as the struggle for his freedom because he has never received adequate medical care. He is almost 80 years old. He has been incarcerated for almost five decades. He is on a walker yet needs a wheelchair. What I will say, in my view, is that there are many ways to incarcerate someone. Obviously, the prolonged sentences that go on, disproportionally long sentences, try to break the spirit by breaking and divorcing that person from family ties and community ties. But there is also the denial of medical care, which is absolutely deliberate...absolutely insidious. It is an attempt to debilitate that prisoner from being strong enough to defend themselves against their incarceration."

In a heartfelt plea to the United Nation’s Permanent Forum for Indigenous People’s Issues, Lenny Foster, a board member of the Leonard Peltier Official Ad Hoc Committee and Peltier's spiritual advisor, underscores the urgency of his situation. Foster’s letter highlights Peltier’s severe medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, an aortic aneurysm, and progressive vision loss. He calls for the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues to visit Peltier and supports his immediate release on the grounds of his critical health and longstanding human rights violations.

Amid these discussions, Peltier’s own words resonate with a call for hope and change: "Let this be the year that common sense prevails. Let this be the year that 'liberty and justice for all' are not words that ring hollow. Let this be the year that America learns to live up to its own principles. We will prevail. Our children will know who they are and know they are cherished. All of them, not just a privileged few, while the rest go hungry and lose their connection to Mother Earth. That connection is everything. Never, ever forget who you are. Mother Earth births us. She fires the blood that runs through our veins. She takes us back to her womb when our journey ends. We will prevail. I can see a world that is not powered by lies, manipulation, greed. This will not happen by magic. We must come together, my brothers and sisters in solidarity, and let our truth illuminate the dark recesses of society."

Leonard Peltier, who is Anishinaabe-Lakota was a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM). The American Indian Movement (AIM), emerged in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during the summer of 1968. Founded by Dennis Banks, George Mitchell, Clyde Bellecourt, and Vernon Bellecourt, AIM was a response to the pervasive discrimination and oppressive federal policies that Native American communities faced. It aimed to address high unemployment, inadequate housing, and systemic racism affecting urban Indians. At its core, AIM advocated for the recognition of treaty rights, the restoration of tribal lands, and the revitalization of Indigenous traditions. Inspired by the civil rights movement, its founders envisioned AIM as a platform for activism and resistance against centuries of injustice inflicted upon Native peoples. Central to AIM's mission was the revival of Indigenous spirituality and cultural practices, emphasizing the importance of reconnecting with traditional values and customs. The movement viewed spirituality as a source of strength and resilience, essential for confronting the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous communities.

Peltier was convicted in 1977 for the deaths of FBI agents Ronald Williams and Jack Coler during a 1975 confrontation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Despite his claims of innocence, Peltier was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. There are multiple concerns about the fairness of Peltier’s trial, including FBI coercion of witness testimony, suppression of evidence favorable to Peltier, and general bias against Native Americans. These issues have led to calls for his release, notably from James H. Reynolds, the U.S. Attorney responsible for the prosecution, who stated in a letter to President Biden, "With time and the benefit of hindsight, I have realized that the prosecution and continued incarceration of Mr. Peltier was and is unjust...I urge you to commute Leonard Peltier’s sentence and grant him executive clemency."

As the parole hearing date approaches, supporters and advocates worldwide are watching, hopeful that justice will finally prevail for Leonard Peltier, allowing him to reconnect with his people and live out his remaining years in peace.