Peltier denied request for parole hearing (Denver Fed Court)

[hlthe2b]

Damn, this sucks....I'm still pissed at Clinton for not granting Leonard a pardon. This case has always bugged me and most anyone familiar with the American Indian Movement and its fight with the FBI and instututional racism of the 70s.
*************************************


Peltier Denied Request for Parole Hearing

Wednesday November 5, 2003 3:16 AM

By JON SARCHE

Associated Press Writer

DENVER (AP) - A federal appeals court refused Tuesday to grant a parole hearing to American Indian activist Leonard Peltier in the 1975 slayings of two FBI agents.

Peltier, 59, is serving two life sentences. His attorneys argued the U.S. Parole Commission has denied Peltier a hearing on the unproven claim that he ambushed the FBI agents before gunning them down.

Peltier's lawyer, Barry Bachrach, said under rules in place when Peltier was convicted, he should have been eligible for parole in 1986; the commission has said he must wait until 2008.

Bachrach said Peltier's options now include asking the full appeals court to consider the issue or taking the case to the Supreme Court.

--more--
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3350117,00.html

[roughsatori]

1. I've followed this case since the start

Thanks for posting.

DU is becoming so much less progressive lately that I was expecting to find replies that attacked you and defended the US Government's abysmal treatment of AIM members. Hell, these days I would not have been surprised to read a "Peltier Should be fried" post in response to his request for a Parole hearing being turned down.

[dfong63]

2. shame

I'm still pissed at Clinton for not granting Leonard a pardon.

you said it. Clinton was too busy pardoning the likes of Marc Rich, whose name pretty much sums things up.

[G_j]

12. yes, no thanks to the big dog

this man may die in prison. :-(

I will never forgive Clinton for that.

[Bushfire]

22. Totally agree

if I ever have the chance to talk to him, he will get an earful about this from me.

[stevedeshazer]

3. And we have to read about it in the Guardian.

Dammit. :grr:

[hlthe2b]

4. Yes, you noticed that. I heard the blip on local Denver news...

but couldn't find any mention of it on any of the newspaper nor tv websites. But, bless the Guardian-- they always do cover the news our folks will not.

[jenm]

5. Robbie Robertson

did a song for Peltier called "Sacrifice" where he tells the story of his run in with the feds, during which indian people as well as feds were killed, or as he puts it, murdered.

[arikara]

7. Actually that was Leonard Peltier himself

that did the song. Its heartbreaking, isn't it.

[arikara]

6. I'm just so sorry about that

He should have been released years ago but then he should never have been convicted on the evidence that they had in the first place. And I think that Clinton must have been coerced by the fbi to not pardon him.

[Isome]

8. I can't believe the "fry Peltier" remarks aren't here.

They were out in force on the Mumia Abu-Jamal thread. Hmmmm...

[durutti]

9. Peltier's Case is More Convincing, I Think

I totally believe Peltier is innocent. I'm not so sure about Mumia (but he definitely deserves a new trial).

[hlthe2b]

10. This news seems to be buried as far as I can tell...

And I think there are other DUers who will be interested. So forgive the bump, but I'd like to give the thread some chance at being seen among the sea of posts in GD.

[ellie]

11. And the travesty of justice continues

Leonard should never have been tried, much less convicted of this crime, which he didn't commit. The FBI suppressed evidence, intimidated witnesses, their usual SOP. Anyone interested in the case should visit www.freepeltier.org.

[gottaB]

13. Braun has said she supported pardoning Peltier

Actually I don't have an exact quote, but several students at Brown Univeristy said she was asked about Peltier and said she would favor granting him a pardon.

Here is my source, scroll down to where the students comment.

[qb]

14. Peltier is Guilty Guilty Guilty!!! Fry the bastard!!!

Why? Because I say so.

<Facetiousness off>

Sorry - It just seemed like something was missing from this thread :)

[Mairead]

15. That's out-and-out racism

All these 'kill a cop, get double time' cases call to mind the Nazi reprisals when the Resistance killed one of their soldiers. I sometimes think the only reason they don't kill ten innocents is that that would be too much even for the comatose US public to stomach.

There's no way anyone can convince me that that man isn't a political prisoner.

[G_j]

16. The "glimmer of hope"

mentioned in the article below is now gone. Just as Clinton snatched away the "glimmer" in his way. Shame!!!

www.freepeltier.org/windsorstar_appeal092403.htm

Windsor Star
September 24, 2003

Leonard Peltier, despite having spent almost 27 years in prison, has consistently been denied the basic right to a parole hearing by the U.S. government. The native activist was convicted of killing two FBI agents during a range war on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in 1976. But he has always denied having a role in their deaths, and troubling questions surrounding his case have never been fully answered.

Now, there is at least a glimmer of hope for Peltier. His legal team is appealing to Denver's 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals with the hope that Peltier will finally be granted a parole hearing. The only time a parole hearing has been scheduled for Peltier was in 1986, and that hearing was inexplicably delayed until 2008 ? even though he had already served the mandatory 200 months that apply in most cases involving murder.

Peltier's plight continues to be a source of embarrassment for our country. In 1976, Peltier was extradited from Canada under questionable circumstances for the murders. He was convicted in the U.S. one year later. Peltier continues to serve two concurrent life sentences.

Peltier's extradition from Canada was based solely on the testimony contained in affidavits from Myrtle Poor Bear, who said she was Peltier's girlfriend when the shootings occurred. She also claimed to have witnessed the murder of the agents, and wrote detailed accounts to this effect.
..more..

[arikara]

17. More should read this

another kick

[DUreader]

18. agreed

[hlthe2b]

19. Has ANYONE here seen this reported in national/local papers?

I may have missed it. After all, the Guardian picked up an AP wire. But I find this horribly depressing if no one else is going to report it. Meanwhile, we are all bent out of shape about some confederate flag comments? This is the real deal, IMO. This guy was an Indian Activist. I don't personally believe he committed those murders of FBI agents, but even if he did, he is being treated far differently than any other American. The confederate flag is a racist symbol. Leonard Peltier is a living, breathing, example of ongoing racism.

[DUreader]

21. 122 hit on googlenews, so yes it is out there somewhat

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&q=Peltier+&btnG=Search+News


Appeals court denies American Indian activist Peltier ’ s ...
Billings Gazette, MT - 12 hours ago
DENVER — American Indian activist Leonard Peltier and his lawyer are reviewing
their options — including asking for a full appeals court review or going to ...

Peltier denied parole hearing
Canoe News, Canada - 12 hours ago
DENVER (AP) -- A US federal appeals court has refused to grant a parole hearing
to US native activist Leonard Peltier in the 1975 slayings of two FBI agents. ...

Peltier denied parole hearing
Lawrence Journal World, KS - 16 hours ago
Denver — A federal appeals court refused to grant a parole hearing Tuesday to American
Indian advocate Leonard Peltier in the 1975 slayings of two FBI agents ...

Peltier loses appeal
Rocky Mountain News, CO - 18 hours ago
A federal appeals court in Denver refused Tuesday to grant a parole
hearing to imprisoned American Indian activist Leonard Peltier. ...

JURISPRUDENCE: Court turns down Peltier
Grand Forks Herald, ND - 18 hours ago
DENVER - A federal appeals court refused to grant a parole hearing Tuesday to American
Indian activist Leonard Peltier in the 1975 slayings of two FBI agents ...

Peltier Denied Request for Parole Hearing
Tuscaloosa News, AL - 23 hours ago
A federal appeals court refused Tuesday to grant a parole hearing to American
Indian activist Leonard Peltier in the 1975 slayings of two FBI agents. ...

Leonard Peltier denied parole hearing in US
CTV, Canada - 23 hours ago
DENVER — A US federal appeals court refused Tuesday to grant a parole hearing
to US native activist Leonard Peltier in the 1975 slayings of two FBI agents. ...

Peltier Appeal Denied
KSFY, SD - 10 hours ago
There will be no parole hearing for American Indian activist Leonard Peltier.
The ruling was handed down Tuesday by a federal Appeals Court in Denver. ...

Appeals court denies Peltier's parole hearing
Rocky Mountain News, CO - Nov 4, 2003
A federal appeals court refused to grant a parole hearing today to American Indian
activist Leonard Peltier in the 1975 slayings of two FBI agents on the South ...

Appeals Court Denies Peltier's Request For Parole
NEWS4Colorado.com, CO - Nov 4, 2003
DENVER (AP) A federal appeals court refused to grant a parole hearing Tuesday
to American Indian activist Leonard Peltier in the 1975 slayings of two FBI ...

[knight_of_the_star]

20. I can't believe this

I'm bringing this up at my next American Indian Studies class on Wednesday, see if the prof knows about this (I bet she does). I hope that this story can be let out of the bag sot htat people will KNOW about it, but that is hoping for the impossible in this country.