Dear
Supporters:
What follows is a No
Parole Peltier Association letter sent to Mr. James Reynolds on 11/6/17 asking
a few straightforward and critical questions in response to the letter he sent
to President Obama and an interview given to the New York Daily News supporting
clemency for Leonard Peltier. Mr. Reynolds made a conscious decision and placed
his support for Peltier in the public domain. Doing so makes his public
statements subject to scrutiny.
No response was received
from Mr. Reynolds.
However,
on 11/27/17 Mr. Reynolds was reached by telephone, and in a brief, but telling
conversation, confirmed that he had received the NPPA letter. A response to Mr.
Reynolds and the explanation of the letter below will follow in a subsequent
blog: James Reynolds, Part III.
“In the Spirit of Coler
and Williams”
Ed
Mr. James H. Reynolds
300 Palm Dr. #4
Naples, Florida 34112
Re:
Leonard Peltier, clemency
Dear Mr. Reynolds:
It matters little if this letter
is a bit late; it’s never too late to ask why you supported clemency for the
convicted murderer Leonard Peltier with your letter to President Obama—or to
ask you to explain the disconcerting public statements you made to the New York
Daily News concerning Peltier.*
Your letter stated that
preceding you in office was U.S. Attorney Evan Hultman, who had prosecuted
Peltier and that you “…directed Hultman’s handling of the appeal of Leonard
Peltier after my appoint (sic).” This would apparently indicate that you were
intimate, or at the very least familiar, with the details of the unprovoked
attack and brutal murders of FBI Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams,
Peltier’s trial, conviction and subsequent multiple appeals. As you were no
doubt aware at the time of their deaths, Agent Williams was single and Agent
Coler left behind a widow and two young sons, ages three and one and a half.
Your brief letter (which had
been previously questioned**) stated that you “would join in any Request for Clemency of Leonard Peltier by (President
Obama) as being in the best interest of justice in considering the totality of
all matters involved.”
However, your public statements to the media raised a
number of crucial issues and questions that beg for an honest response.
You stated, “Forty years is
enough,” which prompts the first question.
How many years are enough to
serve for two brutal murders? Thus far into Peltier’s consecutive life sentences
(not to forget also the seven consecutive years he owes for the armed escape
from Lompoc Penitentiary), he has served 20 ½ years each for Jack Coler and Ron
Williams. In your judgment is that enough for brutal slayings? Exactly how much
is enough for blowing away the faces of two—already severely wounded—human beings?
Before you answer, consider if those deaths had involved members of your own
family. Would that make any difference since you obviously didn’t know or have
a personal relationship with the dead agents?
(Peltier appropriately
received consecutive life sentences and in our opinion serving all of that is enough. Then we can give him a pass
on the other seven years.)
You added that you weren’t convinced
of Peltier’s guilt: “I don’t know. Who
knows?” and then stunningly stated regarding Peltier’s case, “we might have shaved a few corner(s) here
and there.”
This
raises some serious questions. Since you allegedly “directed Evan Hultman (and
presumably Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Crooks), what did you know regarding
Peltier’s case that either they or the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
(particularly Judge Gerald Heaney***) didn’t know that would have affected Peltier’s
conviction, sentencing or appeals?
Are you knowingly and
publicly admitting to any wrongdoing that occurred under your direction as the United States Attorney
while simultaneously casting serious aspersions on the reputations of former
U.S. Attorney Evan Hultman and quintessential career federal prosecutor, Lynn
Crooks? Basically, the NPPA is calling you out on this.
In one of the many appeals,
the Eighth Circuit stated, “Peltier was
equally well-represented at trial and on appeal.”
Over decades of appeals
Peltier had many competent, experienced and aggressive attorneys who
collectively examined every aspect of his conviction in excruciating
detail—from the serious (October 2,1975 FBI Laboratory Teletype that led to a
three-day evidentiary hearing) to the frivolous (“Peltier’s arguments fail
because they are fatally flawed”).
Peltier’s case has been
under the proverbial microscope since day one.
While you consider a
response, we want to bring you up to date on some of Peltier’s public
statements and tacit admissions of guilt:
Peltier, not obliquely,
since you were part of the government,
referred to it as “blind, stupid, or
without human feelings.” Was Peltier correct in that assessment as it
relates to you? Peltier said, “white
racist America is the criminal.” Was Peltier correct? When you served in
government, were you, or are you, a white racist? Peltier claimed he was a “scapegoat” and “was the last Indian left to railroad for the deaths of their two agents.”
So, Mr. Reynolds, are you culpable in scapegoating Leonard Peltier?
We suspect that you would
rightly deny all that, but then there’s your interview with the NY Daily News.
Perhaps you misspoke or they misquoted you?
As a further update, since
you publicly called for Peltier’s clemency, where you aware that he has
remorselessly said:
“And really, if necessary, I’d do it al over again because it was the
right thing to do.” (Leonard Peltier, February 2010)
“I don’t regret any of this for a minute.” (Leonard Peltier, August
2014)
Ironically, included in the
very clemency petition that you publicly supported, his attorney allowed this:
“I did not wake up on that June 26 planning to injure or shoot federal
agents, and did not gain anything from participating
in the incident.”
No regrets, he’d do it
again, it was the right thing to do, wasn’t planning—at any rate—to injure or
shoot federal agents and, he acknowledged participating. (And there is much
more…)
Mr. Reynolds, would you care
to clarify your position that Peltier’s consecutive life sentences should have
been commuted? Keep in mind though that the U.S. Pardon Attorney, the U.S.
Attorney General and ultimately, President Obama agreed that Peltier should
continue to serve his consecutive life sentences for the brutal murders of Jack
Coler and Ron Williams.****
Sincerely,
“In the Spirit of Coler and
Williams”
Edward Woods
(last accessed 10/30/17)
*** http://wwwnoparolepeltiercom-justice.blogspot.com/2017/10/peltier-heaney-factor.html**** http://wwwnoparolepeltiercom-justice.blogspot.com/2017/01/
