UPDATE :A statement from Leonard Peltier about the US Parole Commission denying his parole
“Greetings my Friends, Family, Loved Ones and Supporters. Hope is a hard thing here. But I always hold hope in you, My People. Pay attention. The parole decision on July 11 may show you what justice truly means to this nation and to whom it is meant for.
Living in lockdown, time has twisted into something that has nothing to do with minutes, hours or years. They have taken what little freedom I have outside this box. Art — gone. Ceremony — gone. Yet they will never take the Spirit of a Sundancer. I have never given them my integrity. I remain undestroyed.
I am counting on you if this decision does not go my way. I always need your prayers. I need you to demand that this country finally commit one act of Justice. My attorney assures me the battle is not over until it is over — she will not back down. I am counting on you not to back down. My time is running out here, with no medical care. I do not fear death, returning to Mother Earth’s womb, but I do not want to die in lockdown.
In my solitude, my mind often returns to Raymond Yellow Thunder. The profound tragedy of Raymond’s murder sparked change in our people and showed them who the American Indian Movement is.
Raymond was a hard-working man. When he came into town to give money to his sisters, it was not enough for the Hare brothers to humiliate Raymond, strip him and parade him around an American Legion Dance.
Raymond was shoved into the trunk of a car and died the next day. The Hare brothers were charged with second-degree manslaughter and released with no bail. [The Hare brothers were arrested as the primary assailants of Raymond Yellow Thunder, a member of the Oglala Nation, who died from his injuries in February 1972, in Gordon, Nebraska. (Lakota Times, Feb. 23, 2017.)]
Raymond’s sisters were distraught that even that small charge may not stick. The authorities would not release the autopsy report. They would not allow Raymond’s sisters to see his body. The sisters sought help from the BIA [Bureau of Indian Affairs], the Tribal government and private attorneys.
In desperation, they turned to the American Indian Movement. AIM members are Spirit Warriors, not merciless savages. We organized 200 carloads of people and demanded justice. With dignity, we demanded justice. Sheriff’s deputies, state troopers and FBI agents agreed that serious charges should be filed against the Hares and that the local police chief should be dismissed.
Indigenous people started holding their heads up after that victory. They started speaking out against abuses by the BIA and Tribal government and white ranchers profiting off their land. We must not allow Raymond’s fate to befall others.
My mother used to ask with dismay, “Why is it so bad to be Indian?” I find myself wondering why they hate us so. We will triumph over the misguided hate of others. Never, ever, forget who you are. We are the First People.
Mother Earth herself fires the blood that runs through our veins. Protect each other, protect Mother Earth for future generations, and stand with oppressed peoples everywhere. Remember that true strength does not reside in holding power over others. Strength comes from living out of a place of humility and integrity, inspiring others to find their unique strengths.
Oppression is rising, running like black mold through every facet of society. We must stand together and let society know that Indigenous lives are not cheap. The lives of our oppressed brothers and sisters are not cheap. All people are worthy of basic human dignity. Colonialism has all but destroyed us. We must do nothing less than transform society into a place where human beings are not disposable.
Do not weep if I am not granted parole. Cry freedom. Coalesce yourselves, galvanize your relationships, establish alliances.
In the power of our people we find strength. Hold your head up high. It is not over, until it is over.
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse. Doksha,
Leonard Peltier”
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The US Parole Commission will announce a decision in the next few weeks on what is likely Leonard Peltier’s last chance at parole.
“This whole entire hearing is a battle for his life,” Tilsen said. “It’s time for him to come home.”
It’s not too late to tell the US Parole Commission: Free Leonard Peltier!
🚨 Phone: +1 202-346-7000
🚨 Email: USParole.questions@usdoj.gov
Check this video update from his attorneys as well as their June 12 press release below:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2024
Media Contact
Dawn Lawson, Assistant Director, Leonard Peltier Official Ad Hoc Committee Tel.: 800-901-4413
Email: dawn at freeleonardpeltiernow dot org
STATEMENT OF ATTORNEYS FOR LEONARD PELTIER REGARDING JUNE 10, 2024,, PAROLE HEARING
We began this year with a triumphant motto, coined by Brother Dhoruba bin Wahad: “We will not give up the fight.” Fight we will for Leonard’s freedom. The struggle for Leonard’s freedom is not over-until it is over. We will use every available legal mechanism to secure his release, but we know the law and justice are not the same thing, and so the law alone is not sufficient to access meaningful justice. As such, we encourage continued legal support but also social and political support for Leonard.
Leonard had his parole hearing on Monday, June 10, 2024, and we feel that he was as supported as possible. We are aware that the parole process itself, like every part of the criminal penal system, is both a political and legal process, and the flaws in this process specifically concerning Leonard have been meticulously documented by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The appropriate inquiry for the commission is to assess the person who stands before them, not the alleged offense.
Leonard’s parole hearing lasted more than seven hours. There was nothing unexpected about the hearing itself. The surviving loved ones of the agents killed on June 26, 1975, gave impact statements as did representatives from the FBl and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of North Dakota. Dr. Rene Morrissey and organizer, Nick Tilsen, the only two witnesses permitted to testify, spoke compellingly regarding Leonard’s seriously deteriorating medical condition and the plans made to care for Leonard upon his release. Dr. Joel Morrissey, particularly, gave thorough testimony highlighting the ongoing long-term medical neglect to which Mr. Peltier is subjected.
Lead attorney Jenipher Jones, who was present at the parole hearing, devises the overall legal strategy and framing regarding Leonard’s post-conviction relief, civil, and human rights. For the past year, Attorney Jones has been working to ensure Leonard’s medical care is both constitutionally sufficient and in accordance with human rights provisions. Attorney Jones also develops the constitutional analysis with respect to all aspects of Mr. Peltier’s case. Ms. Jones’ esteemed co-counsel, Attorney Moria Meltzer-Cohen, brilliantly developed and delivered the arguments to support Leonard’s release. Attorney Melter-Cohen also, in part, developed the legal framework for Leonard’s parole. Unfortunately, Kevin Sharp was not permitted to deliver arguments to the Hearing Examiner nor present evidence during the hearing.
Leonard was asked about the underlying offenses, but he also had the opportunity to speak about his grandchildren, and his personality and pride really shone through. A massive amount of material was presented, and we hope the hearing examiner has been convinced of the obvious fact that if released, Leonard is not in danger of violating the law and that after 50 years, his release will not be seen as promoting disrespect for the law. Attorneys Jones and Meltzer-Cohen expect a decision within 21 days and are responsible for spearheading any necessary appeals and subsequent litigation though they hope such action will not be necessary.
We thank everyone who contributed to this process, including families our mentors, shout out to Attorney Meltzer-Cohen’s students at CUNY School of Law, the National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL), and the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), both organizations to which Attorney Jones is a board member. We also express sincere gratitude to the members of the LG Mass Incarceration Committee Old Law Prisoner Project.
Professor Chuck Weisselberg, Attorney Brad Thompson, Professor Audrey Bose, Dr. Joel Morrissey, Dr.
Giselle Dias, Kalonji Jama Changa, Silja Talvi, the Leonard Peltier Official Ad Hoc Committee, and the Jericho Movement, and all those who have supported their work and advocacy. This work is part of the long tradition of liberation work for Indigenous Peoples everywhere: When we fight, we win