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After nearly five decades behind bars, Native American activist Leonard Peltier has been released from prison following a commutation by President Joe Biden in January, before leaving office. Convicted in 1977 for the deaths of two FBI agents during a 1975 incident on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation—a conviction long contested by Peltier and his supporters—Peltier, now 80, has consistently maintained his innocence.
Throughout his incarceration, Peltier’s cause attracted support from numerous notable figures, including Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the Dalai Lama. Over the years, letters of support, signed petitions, and global protests around the world were fueled by inconsistent case details and longstanding concerns over the fairness of his original trial. A key witness whose coerced testimony helped secure Peltier’s extradition from Canada (and subsequent imprisonment), later recounted her statement; claiming the FBI intimidated her into making false statements. Additionally, the two others arrested alongside Peltier for the same incident were acquitted, with courts citing insufficient evidence. Upon his release, Peltier expressed gratitude, stating, “Today I am finally free! They may have imprisoned me, but they never took my spirit!” Peltier’s release is an example of how advances in technology have empowered Indigenous communities across borders, using digital tools to advocate for human rights.
President Biden’s decision to grant clemency, still does not exonerate Peltier. Instead, his sentence is altered to home confinement; influenced by his advanced age, declining health, and weak case evidence. Peltier’s conviction and experience in a maximum security prison has become emblematic of broader issues surrounding the treatment of Indigenous peoples and allegations of governmental misconduct. Along with coerced testimonies, critics have pointed to withheld evidence and inconsistent trial procedures as factors contributing to what many believe was a wrongful conviction.
As Peltier returns to his community, his release is seen by many as a significant step toward addressing historical injustices faced by Native Americans, and indigenous people around the world.
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