Facts about Leonard Peltier - Research Paper Example

Facts about Leonard Peltier Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota has been a home to the Native Americans since 1800s. They have lived peacefully until Eisenhower signed a resolution passed by Congress to “terminate” all Indian reservations and “relocate” Indians off their lands and into the cities. Though it has been dismissed by the court since it was deemed illegal, the US government found a way to push through with the inhuman policy. They have cut off the already scanty supply of food and commodity of the people in the reservation. The Native Americans, having no choice at all in the midst of the situation, was given an option to accept the money that the government is providing the so they can relocate to the nearby cities, such as Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Chicago. In these cities, instead of the promise land they were pledged upon with, they suffered joblessness, poverty, and hopeless despair. Due to this torment, American Indian Movement was born. The movement was born due to the issues that the people are facing every day, such as police brutality, high unemployment rates and the Federal Government’s policies concerning the American Indians. The group was composed of people who do not fear the government and are willing to lay their lives down for their fellow Indian people. AIM did not only become instrumental in shaping the American Indian’s path across the country, but opened the eyes of the world through AIM protests, to the Siege at Wounded Knee. Some of the unforgettable leaders of the society were Dennis Banks, John Trudell, Russell Means, Eddie Benton-Banai and Clyde and Vernon Bellecourt. They have been envisioned by Leonard Peltier as imperfect people; however they have the bravery and compassion for their fellow Native Americans. These people inspired Leonard Peltier, who was 14 years old then. At an early age, he experienced rank racism, political activism and brutal poverty. He was inspired to attend meetings on the reservation with his father. With this action, he was convinced that we would want to live for the people of Pine Ridge Reservation and be a protector in their disposal. He realized that he can do something worthwhile of his life and for his people. One of his most successful conquests was the 1970 peaceful takeover of abandoned Fort Lawton, outside Seattle Washington, which is originally under the right of the Indian people. Because of this passion, he became the leader of AIM. He was part of many protests and takeovers against the US government before, since after all, there has been no change with their administration and treatment to the Native Americans. When the Wounded Knee incident happened in February 27, 1973, this marked a three-year period of political violence in the reservation. The tribal chairman, Dick Wilson, hired vigilantes, who called themselves GOONS (Guardians of Oglala Nation) to get rid of the Indian people in the reservation. Sadly, they were aided and abetted by the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). They supplied the GOONS with intelligence on AIM Members and looked away as the crimes were committed by the vigilantes. FBI people are also hunting down AIM leaders in hope of catching the “big fish” for the bureau. This war against AIM leads to a two-year period of prosecutions therefore preventing AIM leaders to engage in any political activity. AIM was then setting up their headquarters in the ranch owned by the Jumping Bull family. Here, the AIM members freely plan their courses of actions against the FBI and GOONS’ oppression. However, in June 26, 1975, two FBI agents followed some members of AIM to their headquarters in Jumping Bull ranch, where the families were alarmed and feared for an attack. A shoot-out erupted, where 150 agents, GOONS and law enforcers surrounded the ranch. As a result of the shoot-out, two FB agents and a Native American laid cold on the ground. While everybody is mourning and furious about happened to the two FBI agents, no one bothered to investigate the case of a dead Native American. Although a number of people involved themselves in the combat, only three people, who are conveniently members of AIM, were held accountable by the authorities: Bob Robideau, Darrell Butler and Leonard Peltier. Robideau and Butler were arrested separately. Handguns and shell casings from both agents were found in the vehicle near Butler’s residence. Robideau, on the other hand, was arrested in Kansas Turnpike, together with Norman Charles and Michael Anderson, who were also tied to the shooting of the agents. Several issues and factors in their trial were substantially different from Peltier’s trial. They were believed to have been present in the crime scene after gunshots were heard. Robideau and Butler were not aware that there are federal agents present and their firings were only a result of self-defense. They were tried and acquitted for this reason. It was found out that their participation in the shoot-out is merely self-defense since they were caught in the middle of the cross-fire and they would have to fight out for the fear of their lives. Peltier, however, due to persecution of Native Americans, had to flee to Canada for his life. He was issued warrant of arrest for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution and Attempted Murder. It was known that if he did not flee, he would have been a codefendant of the aforementioned other two men. On February 6, 1976, he was arrested in Canada, along with Frank Deluca. Dynamites, timing devices, ammunition and weapons were found in the getaway vehicle. False accounts from Myrtle Poor Bear, who claimed to be Peltier’s girlfriend, were presented to the Canadian court as evidence against Peltier. This account has been believed to be the work of the FBI, who coerced Poor Bear to write the affidavit. Poor Bear attempted to testify against the FBI in Peltier’s trial but she was dismissed on the grounds of mental incompetence, therefore all her accounts that were presented on the court hold nothing whatsoever to do with Peltier’s conviction. Since he fled to Canada and had to be brought back to the United States to be tried, it was late for him to be a codefendant to Robideau and Butler, hence he was tried separately. FBI presented evidences such as the bloody fingerprints of Leonard Peltier found in the building in eastern Oregon where he was believed to stop by after the shoot out. Leonard Peltier was found guilty of the first-degree murders of agents Williams and Coler and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. There have been a lot of doubts in Peltier’s trial, such as the evidences presented on the court, like the vehicle that Peltier was driving against the vehicle that Coler and Williams are pursuing. It was a highly litigious matter in Peltier’s trial, clearly because they are favoring the FBI agents against the enemy of the state at that time. Evidence that has been withheld during Peltier’s trial was the ballistics report where it shows that the casing found in the crime scene did not match Peltier’s rifle. Conflict on granting parole to Peltier was also a controversial matter where Pennsylvania Parole Commission did not grant parole to Peltier since he committed an arranged and cold-blooded murder of the federal officers, whereas they were also stated that they recognized the lack of evidence presented against Peltier’s participation of the agents’ execution. During Bill Clinton’s administration, hope sprang from Leonard Peltier when the president was considering granting him executive clemency. Organizations have been pushing for his pardon, since Peltier’s health is already failing and 24 years in prison have been an inordinate amount of time but he deserves to be considered for his clemency petition. Even the Court of Appeals Judge Gerald Heaney, had sided clemency for Peltier due to rampant injustice. However, due to FBI families’ protests and a letter from FBI director Louis Freeh opposing the clemency because Peltier is a “vicious murderer”, it did not push through. Clinton left the clemency for Peltier hanging, while he issued 100 more pardons to other American prisoners, including the former director of CIA, John Deutch for mishandling information, former Arizona Governor Fife Symington for fraud and Marc Rich, a billionaire whose ex-wife was influential in Hilary Clinton’s senatorial campaign. George Bush finally denied Peltier’s petition for parole. Peltier even filed for a civil rights lawsuit against all the FBI agents who went against his clemency petition, but just like all the evidences which are placed in wait, the lawsuit suffered the same fate. The fairness of Peltier’s proceeding has been one of the most controversial issues about the case. First, FBI intercepted the radio used in communicating the location of the pursued vehicle, which is a red pickup truck. That time, Peltier was driving a station wagon or a large sedan with an enclosed rear section. Peltier was indeed driving a red vehicle (which is a sedan), which is contradictory to what has been stated on the radio message that they are pursuing a red pickup truck. During the trial, the radio message has been edited by testifying that they are indeed pursuing a red and white van that was believed to be what Peltier was driving at that time. The FBI agent who testified that the agents are following a red pickup truck, changed his account and said that they are following a van instead, which is a vehicle often driven by Peltier. Testimonies from witnesses near the crime scene were retracted, as the witnesses themselves suffered coercion and threatening from the FBI people. The FBI ballistics report that was released by the bureau was also in question. It was the bureau’s ballistics expert who attested that the shell case found near the dead agents’ bodies matched the rifle that Peltier was handling at the time of the incident. Years later, after the examination of the bureau’s ballistics records, it was found out that the casing did not match Peltier’s rifle, which was deemed as the instrument held accountable for the death of the officers. Though it has been established that an ArmaLite Model 15 killed the agents, no one investigated on the other AR-15s that were fired during the shoot-out. This is for the reason that these ammunitions belong not only to the Native Americans, but also to the FBI people who are included in the combat. As a conclusion to Peltier’s trial, the prosecutor insisted that Leonard Peltier shot the agents at point blank range. FBI was able to support the evidence by providing pathology reports that showed that three wounds were delivered to the agents at close range. It was also found that both agents’ long guns and hand guns were missing and was believed to be taken by Butler, Robideau and Peltier. This does not coincide with the concession given by the government attorney during the appellate hearing, wherein it was concluded that there has been a murder and there have been a lot of shooters in the crime scene. It was brought to a close that the jury cannot be certain whose shots killed the FBI agents, because witnesses said that there were at least seven people who were believed to have fired at Williams and Coler. Lastly, Pennsylvania Parole Commission denied to give parole to Peltier, they claimed that it was because he planned on killing and was successful in murdering the FBI agents in cold blood, though there were account of lack of evidence against Peltier. These evidences have been yanked to make sure that Peltier suffer for a crime without proof that he can defend himself. My take on Peltier’s case is simple: He is a victim of abusive superiority, by the FBI and the US government. The environment that has placed him in his situation now has not changed and people who are holding positions in the government and FBI shared the same sentiments of being superior amongst all beings alive. I cannot blame him for wanting to stand up for his people when at an early age; he already saw the maltreatment and belittlement given to his fellow Native Americans. He fought for them for the belief that what he’s doing will bring justice to the oppression that they are experiencing from the hands of the tyrant. The damage that was brought to the Native American community residing in Pine Ridge reservation was so vast that it resulted to his urge of becoming an AIM leader. His dream came true and he held into it until he was accused of murdering two FBI agents. He did not lose hope, despite the fact that he was already outnumbered in alliances, after the evidences have been sabotaged, to the denial of executive clemency, up to the denial of his parole. He understood that he cannot fight evil with evil and instead, served his sentence with dignity and honor he could still muster. He made it a point to be an inspiration to people who still believes in him by making a point that he will not humiliate the while he is inside the prison. He made constant connection to God by being His servant. He wrote book about his experiences in life, not only his life before the prison, but while he is serving his sentence. He developed a unique style of writing style. He used writing as “his voice” for freedom and the survival of his People. One of his works attracted Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, and she was so impressed, she approved a resolution calling for Peltier to be freed. His book served as an account to his life and the injustice he experienced from the government and FBI. He painted portraits and sells them to support efforts to win his freedom. He made the earnings go to organizations to raise funds for the needy. Despite his eye problems that slowed him down in painting, his inspiration was his people and he kept going with his passion. He became an advocate of peace and respect for the rights of others. He organized a food drive for people of Mexico during the Acteal Massacre. He has been instrumental for the young Native Americans to have newspapers. He also sponsors Christmas gift drive for the Children of Pine Ridge. He is also an advocate of drug-and-alcohol free lifestyle. He donated some of his artwork to charities to raise funds. He was highly recognized for his humanitarian works and has won several awards, as such North Star Frederick Douglas Award, Federation of Labour Humanist of the year award and Silver Arrow Award for Lifetime Achievement. He was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the sixth consecutive year. He is touching people’s lives, not on a physical way, but in the hardest way possible, and that is through their hearts. His works served as an inspiration, not only to his people, but also to people who has seen, read and bought his works. He was able to inspire people who are feeling hopeless and in despair through helping them see something to look forward to and that is their freedom to live their lives the way they wanted it. Bibliography: World Socialist Web Site “Clinton refuses to pardon Leonard Peltier”. 25 January 2001 Friends for Peltier. www.freepeltiernow.org No Parole Peltier Association www.noparolepeltier.com FBI website, www.fbi.gov Matthiessen, Peter. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse New York 2005 Messerschmidt, Jim, and Kuntsler, William. The Trial of Leonard Peltier MA 1983 Peltier, Leonard, and Arden, Harvey. My Life is My Sun Dance NY 1999 Read More