Peltier: I want my own room...

Dear Supporters:

One has to wonder, since the latest Peltier message was magically “launched into cyberspace by the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee,” (unsigned as usual): What were they thinking? Did anyone at the LPDOC (Betty Ann, Vivian, Pamela, Jean, Dorothy, Gina [curious that they’re all female]) give a moment’s thought to have supporters badger the Bureau of Prisons with such a silly and stupid request?

(Since there hasn’t been any comment on Peltier’s test results from last month then perhaps he’s not facing cancer on top of everything else…which is a good thing. If he did have pressing or life-threatening health issues the BOP would move him to an appropriate medical facility. Lewisburg will do just fine for now…except for the accommodations apparently.)

Imagine the horror? “Yesterday (March 24th), another prisoner was moved into Leonard’s cell.”

Almost since day one Peltier has viewed himself as an exceptional case, an allegedly privileged character—a wrongfully convicted political prisoner—or so the folklore and myth would have us believe. I have no independent knowledge but would imagine that Peltier (in addition to his armed escape from Lompoc), has been pretty much of a pain-in-the-tail to prison authorities for years.

But what happened to Peltier the tough guy?

Peltier’s a tough guy when he and others are shooting at two agents pinned down in an open field; he’s the tough guy participating in cold blooded murder, blowing away the faces of two wounded human beings; he’s a tough guy when he sticks a gun in a woman’s mouth and threatens her life; he’s the tough guy when he steals government property and makes a run for it (well maybe not that tough as a thief and fleeing felon).

But now he’s a crybaby because he has a cellmate?

Even John Gotti, a real tough guy and once the nation’s most feared crime boss, who no doubt had a lot of respect and support from many fellow inmates, was the victim of prison violence (beaten bloody it was reported). But the Teflon Don, unlike Peltier, was a stand-up guy and told prison doctors that he, “fell down.”

Great plan from the LPDOC, have all those Peltier supporters complain to the BOP. The BOP will receive hundreds, maybe thousands, even hundreds of thousands of emails and phone calls. Right? No, not really, probably only a dozen or so. Reports of Peltier’s support are greatly exaggerated.

Here’s a solution: Peltier doesn’t want a roommate, especially one who hasn’t read or believes all the fairytales about him, or if he did, could care less…so give Peltier his own room (cell) in…solitary.

“In the spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods
NPPA