Peltier going home after 46 years in prison

WASHINGTON D.C. – Indian Country and amnesty activists let out a resounding sigh of relief on former President Biden’s last day in office when it was announced that Native American activist Leonard Peltier’s life sentence in prison would be commuted. Peltier, who had been serving time for the killings of two FBI agents, will now transition to home confinement. This action means that Peltier will be allowed to serve the remainder of his sentence from home, it does not exonerate him from the crimes he was convicted of. 

“It’s finally over – I’m going home,” Peltier said in a statement released by NDN Collective. “I want to show the world I’m a good person with a good heart. I want to help the people, just like my grandmother taught me.”

Peltier is an 80 year old citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and was previously active in the American Indian Movement (AIM), fighting for Native American Rights. In 1975 Peltier was involved in a shootout on the Pine Ridge Reservation at the Jumping Bull Compound. The shootout occurred after years of political violence between AIM Members and the federal government. The Jumping Bull Compound shootout resulted in three casualties, including Joseph Stutnz, a citizen of the Coeur d’Alene Nation and FBI Special Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams. Peltier fled to Canada, but was extradited and charged with Coler and Williams’ murders. 

In 1977 Peltier was tried and found guilty of two counts of first degree murder. In 1993 Peltier became eligible for parole, but was denied several times over the next 32 years. He served 46 years total in prison.

Outgoing U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Halaand said in a statement that she believes Peltier’s commutation was a step toward justice and that it was a long-awaited moment for supporters.

“I am beyond words about the commutation of Leonard Peltier. His release from prison signifies a measure of justice that has long evaded so many Native Americans for so many decades,” Haaland said. “I am grateful that Leonard can now go home to his family. I applaud President Biden for this action and understanding what this means to Indian Country.”

Not everyone within the Biden Administration agreed with Peltier’s commutation. Former FBI Director Chrisopher Wray expressed his concern and opposition to Peltier’s release in a letter released on June 7, 2024 regarding a parole hearing from last year. An excerpt from the letter reads,

“Peltier is a remorseless killer who brutally murdered two of our own before embarking on a violent flight from justice. His crimes also include a post-conviction escape from federal custody, during which he and his crew fired shots at prison employees. Throughout the years, Peltier has never accepted responsibility or shown remorse. He is wholly unfit for parole. To release Peltier now would significantly ‘depreciate the seriousness of his offense’ and ‘promote disrespect for the law.’”

Gray goes on to state that Peltier’s release would “represent an affront to the rule of law” and that his claims of innocence were “meritless” and backed by scores of federal judges. Lastly, Gray asserted that Peltier’s release would be an injustice to the families of FBI Agents Coler and Williams. Peltier was subsequently denied parole.

An Activism Victory

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) also applauded Peltier’s sentence commutation. However, the NCAI also recognized the commutation was due to the efforts of activists and allies. An excerpt from the statement reads, 

“As we celebrate Leonard Peltier’s commutation, it is important to recognize that Leonard Peltier’s case has long symbolized the systemic injustices faced by Indigenous Peoples. This victory belongs to those who have fought for justice, especially those who refused to let the injustice against Leonard Peltier fade from public consciousness. This moment serves as a testament to the power of tireless advocacy, grassroots organizing, and intergenerational collective action by Tribal Nations, human rights organizations, and global allies.”

Amnesty International USA, one of the largest and oldest human rights organizations in the country, is one of the grassroots movements that advocated for Peltier’s release. The global movement has millions of members and has provided support for Peltier by organizing an online petition and mobilizing others to write letters of solidarity during his sentence.

In a statement from Amnesty International USA Executive Director Paul O’Brien, the organization continues to stand firm on their position that Peltier should have been granted clemency a long time ago.

“President Biden was right to commute the life sentence of Indigenous elder and activist Leonard Peltier given the serious human rights concerns about the fairness of his trial,” O’Brien said. “Amnesty International has advocated for the U.S. government to grant Leonard Peltier clemency for years, following the leadership of Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples.”

The President’s commutation of Peltier is considered an act of justice for Natives who have been incarcerated but the family of Annie Mae Aquash (Mi’kmaw) are still left without closure. 

Aquash was a fellow activist who was kidnapped and murdered in December of 1975. Her family has maintained that the murder of Aquash was related to events at Reservation at the Jumping Bull Compound. Aquash’s daughter, Denise Pictou Maloney, told Aboriginal Peoples Television Network of Canada (APTN) that she believes Peltier was complicit in her mother’s death. A documentary series called “Vow of Silence: The assassination of Annie Mae,” debuted on Hulu in December 2024.

Peltier was never charged with the murder of Aquash.

Peltier’s transfer from prison in Florida back home to the Turtle Mountain Reservation is scheduled for Feb. 18. The FBI still asserts that Peltier is responsible for the murders of Coler and Williams.