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I'm Indian all the way, and always will be. I'm not going to stop fighting until I die, and I hope
I'm a good example of a human being and of my tribe."
- Anna Mae Aquash
Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier, a Chippewa, Ojibwae and Sioux, from Turtle Mountain North Dakota, is widely known to
be a kind and generous man. On April 18, 1977, Leonard Peltier was convicted for first-degree murder
of agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams, at the shoot-out in Oglala. He had been extradited from
Vancouver, Canada in 1976. Leonard was on the run, and had been discovered and arrested in Alberta.
Leonard’s’ extradition was made possible by the testimony of Myrtle Poor Bear, a Lakota woman who
claimed that she was his girlfriend, and had witnessed him shooting the 2 agents. Later Myrtle came
out and stated that the FBI had threatened to kill her and her child, if she didn’t sign what totaled
to be 3 affidavits. She had never even met Leonard before. Agents had told her "they could get away
with killing her because they were agents." They also showed her photos of the severed hands of Anna
Mae Aquash, telling her they would "put her through a meat grinder", and nobody would ever know.
FBI march around the White House
FBI march around the White House twice to protest the possibility of Leonard Peltier being granted
Clemency. Many retired agents are actively involved in the No Parole Peltier Association that works
hard to keep Leonard imprisoned.
The FBI had used Myrtle on different occasions to conjure false evidence against AIM members. She had
mental illness, and was vulnerable to their threats. Later on, she attempted to recant all her
testimonies against AIM members, on the grounds that she had been coerced into signing them. Her
request for recantment was denied on the grounds that she had mental illness.
The blatant bias and the fabrication of evidence that got Leonard extradited and imprisoned, have
strengthened the support he has from the people. Many admire and respect Leonard because of his
commitment to AIM, and because he’s remained strong, despite his hardships. Today people actively
campaign for his release. The FBI continues to show the world their hatred for Leonard Peltier, and
actively lobby to keep him behind bars. Many of the FBI agents that were at the June 26 shoot-out,
are now retired, and are free to air their personal opinions. Many are a part of the organization,
the "No Parole Peltier Association" that actively lobbies to keep Leonard from ever being released
from jail. (www.noparolepeltier.org)
In 2001, the FBI launched the only protest they’ve ever conducted in history, to demonstrate against
the then US president Clinton, granting Clemency for Leonard. He had a very real chance of being
released, but due to the FBI hearing in 2008.
There was also a media smear campaign that took place in 19992001 to discredit Leonard Peltier.
Leonard Peltier has filed a civil suit against the FBI, naming former director Louis Freeh, current
director Robert S. Mueller, and many active or retired agents. The allegations contained in the suit
include providing the media with false information, and unsupported accusations designed to deny
Leonard his right to due process both before the Parole Commission and in petitions for Executive
Clemency. The FBI see the support that Leonard Peltier has, and is attempting to convince the public
that Leonard Peltier is a vicious man, and that he did indeed kill 2 FBI agents. The FBI also want to
bury the truth about their actions in Pine Ridge in the early 70s.
