No Parole Peltier Association (NPPA)

JACK COLER: 1947-1975 REST-IN-PEACE

2012-01-07T20:11:00.004-05:00

Dear Supporters:

Jack Coler; son, brother, father, husband, L.A.P.D. police officer, FBI agent.

At age 65 (January 12th), Jack would have left behind twenty, perhaps a thirty-year career of proud, professional service to his country as a Special Agent. He may have found a second career for some time either in or out of law-enforcement, but based on what we know of him, probably remaining in law-enforcement or a related field.

His two fine young sons, now grown into productive and successful family men themselves, would have blessed him with grandchildren.

It should be unmistakable that there are thousands of current and former FBI agents and FBI personnel, thousands of law enforcement officers and officials and thousands of concerned citizens who will not forget Jack Coler’s sacrifice in the line of duty. They will endeavor to keep his memory alive and ensure that Leonard Peltier continues to serve the remainder of his lawful sentences.

At this time every year, our fondest thoughts and prayers go out to Jack’s family, friends and associates.

He will not be forgotten.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

PELTIER: "THEY ATTACKED THE VILLAGE"

2011-12-27T11:52:00.003-05:00

Dear Supporters:

This end-of-year Blog was supposed to be just a thank you and good wishes for the holidays and New Year, however, on December 18th, Leonard Peltier made such an outrageous public statement that a strong response is essential.

First though, to all those who have supported the cause for honoring the sacrifice of two young men brutally murdered in the line of duty and helping to ensure that their killer serves the remainder of his sentences, thank you for your continuing support.

A Merry Christmas to all those who celebrated it, and Happy Holidays to all, and a healthy and happy New Year to everyone. America is going through a very difficult time in its history and hopefully 2012 will see some positive hope for change.

Peltier says that his time in prison “is hell,” which should come as no surprise; he wasn’t sent to summer camp. His confinement is appropriate for his crimes.

But most predictably, living the folklore he created, Peltier has completely lost touch with reality—being totally clueless about the facts surrounding his conviction, making things up, and then thinking that repeating it enough times it magically becomes true.

Peltier continues: “On June 26th 1975 they attacked the village of Oglala on the Pine Ridge Reservation.”

“The village,” Leonard? You were there. Does the fact that all this happened a few miles away and on the Jumping Bull property, not in the village, mean anything?

“It started with two FBI agents in unmarked cars and unmarked clothing, firing into an enclave of dwellings.”

It was well known, and even came out during the trial (You did attend your own trial, right?), that white guys, in civilian clothes, driving late model cars with antennas, were Feds. Everyone knew that…especially Norman Charles who was with you that day when Agents Coler and Williams followed you from Highway 18 onto the Jumping Bull property.

“…firing into an enclave of dwellings?”

Really? Perhaps you should be reminded that you and the former LPDC kept claiming that “a family was caught in the crossfire” until challenged, and you dropped that from your website. (see footnote #1 below) (Coincidentally, that essay was dated December 15, 2001, ten years ago. Also, since it became apparent around 2003 that the LPDC was keeping secrets, you began receiving hard copies of everything posted on the NPPA website, and now the Blogs as well. Enclosed you’ll also find Editorial Essay #13, “The LPDC concedes a major point in the Peltier debate; Paragraph #5,” just to refresh your recollection.)

It was evident from your trial that the “critical witnesses” established for the jury where you and the others were firing from and where you stopped Sam Loud Hawk’s suburban and began firing at the following agents, stopping them in an open field. (Fn. #2) And, then joined by others from the AIM camp (including Robert Robideau and Dino Butler), catching—the agents—not a family, in a deadly crossfire. Angie Long Visitor, albeit reluctantly, helped establish where your suburban was during the shooting (trial transcript at 2687).

You say they, “attacked,” “it started,” and they were “firing.” Is that right Leonard? Then how does that explain Agent Williams’ radio calls for assistance overheard by many agents and law enforcement officials that they were about to come under fire? (Fn. #3)

Even your pseudo-mentor, Peter Matthiessen didn’t buy that scenario. “If there is another persuasive explanation for the location and positions of their cars, I cannot find it.” (Fn. #4)

No matter how much you to try to fabricate (mythologize) what happened, you cannot get beyond the “timing” and sequence of events of what happened that day. (Fn. #5)

Your extradition from Canada: “…they got someone to lie to bring me back from there.”

No surprise on the folklore front: Leonard, do you remember the irony from your trial that one of your own attorneys characterized Myrtle Poor Bear as “…a witness whose mental imbalance is so gross as to render her testimony unbelievable.” (Fn. #6) In other words they did not even want to use her to impeach her prior statements and the agents who interviewed her. Yet, also remember (however long ago you may have see it, or maybe in prison you never have; in the film “Incident at Oglala”), that Poor Bear sounded, at least, convincing. And, how can you ignore that the Canadian Government on October 12, 1999, had the final word on your extradition when they “…concluded that Leonard Peltier was lawfully extradited to the United States.” (Fn. #7)

“They ultimately got a conviction saying I was guilty of murder which was later amended to aiding and abetting.”

Well, not quite, Leonard. You tried this line before and it didn’t work then either. Quoting from the Eighth Circuit Court (1993): “Peltier’s arguments fail because their underlying premises are FATALLY FLAWED. (A) The Government tried the case on the alternative theories; it asserted that Peltier personally killed the agents at point blank range, BUT IF HE HAD NOT DONE SO, THEN HE WAS EQUALLY GUILTY OF MURDER AS AN AIDER AND ABETTOR.” (Fn. #8) Exactly what part of “equally guilty” do you have trouble grasping?

Even your FBI Wanted Poster, Identification Order IO #4681, dated December 3, 1975 (yes, that’s 19-7-5, and it’s on the NPPA website), clearly reveals you were being sought for “Aiding and Abetting.” (Fn. #9)

“Then later an individual who some called Mr. X, on tape admitted he was the shooter.”

OMG! Leonard, you must be going stir crazy to think for a nanosecond you can get any traction bringing back that fable.

Let’s remind you of what you said in “Incident at Oglala.”

After Robideau provides detail and pointing for the camera, how the person you all knew, bringing dynamite to the AIM camp, killed the agents and drove off in the infamous red pickup; in the next scene you said:

“THIS STORY IS TRUE. But I can’t and will not say anything about it. For me to testify against anybody, or even mention, or try to get somebody else in trouble is wrong. And I won’t do it.”

Then it shouldn’t matter that one of your closest AIM confidants, present and participating in the assault on the agents that day, called you a liar.

In 1995, Dino Butler made it very clear that the whole Mr. X and red pickup was fabricated “To create this lie to show that someone else pulled the trigger.” He believed that “…nobody would use this Mr. X theory-that it would be shelved.” (Fn. #10) But you and Robideau did it anyway. And that lie didn’t work. Not even Matthiessen believed it, but reported it just the same. (Fn. #11)

Would it matter too that you had already backed away from the Mr. X fabrication? In the A&E program, “American Justice: Murder on a Reservation” (October, 2000) you said, “I don’t know who killed them. I mean, I can’t say anything about that. I just, I just don’t know who did it. I don’t wanna know.”

And finally, is it any coincidence that in your High School level book, “Prison Writings” (1999), miraculously you never mentioned one word about a phantom shooter in the infamous red pickup? No, but instead you offered the absurd, and easily disproven fabrication that this was all a pre-planned assault by the government to provoke a confrontation with AIM: An absurd and easily disproven fallacy. (Fn. #12)

So which Peltier version are we supposed to believe? Leonard, please tell us.

“Bob Robideau one of the original two men acquitted by reason of self-defense later told retired FBI Agent Ed Wood he was Mr. X and that he had shot the agents.”

First, one would think that after nearly twelve years of constant in-your-face involvement, Peltier would get the name right. It’s Woods, with an ‘s.’ But maybe he does that on purpose; perhaps I should refer to him as Pel-Tee A, instead of the Americanized Pet-Teer as he prefers. After all he does have a lot of French in him.

Yes, Robideau (more French…seems to be a pattern here...may he rest in peace…or maybe not) did tell me that he was the phantom Mr. X and that he killed the agents. He also said “they died like worms.” (Fn. 13)

And he ought to know…why? Because he was there. This was stated a long time ago that there were five people who knew exactly who made the final killing shots to the faces of Jack Coler and Ron Williams. (Although after nearly twelve years of research in the Peltier matter—and I have no specific proof—but I personally believe there were others at the agent’s vehicles in those final moments. Joe Stuntz would be high on the list). But, now three are dead, Jack, Ron and Robideau. Butler has remained relatively silent (perhaps the only one with a conscience), so that leaves Peltier putting the deed on Robideau.

But there’s a flaw in that theory as well. Personally, I think Robideau was too weak and feeble and not man enough to be able to shoot even wounded and defenseless men. The tough guy Peltier (in 1975, that is) is a different story, but as has been sarcastically asked a number of times; “Leonard, were you in Seattle that day?” No, you were at Jumping Bull along with Robideau and Butler in those horrifying final moments. Personally, I believe that you pulled the trigger, but even if by some stretch you didn’t (or perhaps you each took one final killing shot—unlikely, but possible), you still aided and abetted in the murder of two FBI agents and that’s why you’re sitting in that 6X8’ concrete cell you hate so much. And where you will remain until your back-to-back life sentences and the seven consecutive years for the armed escape from Lompoc are completed.

As for the final scene and your relationship in the later years with Robideau, I’ll simply repeat what was posted on this website when he died in February 2009: “Perhaps Peltier will not admit it, but he is probably grateful that one more thorn in his side has been removed. This death could also provide Peltier with yet another diversion from the facts surrounding the Incident at Oglala. It is reasonable to assume that Peltier may now dump all the blame on Robideau. But even if he does, it matters little, Peltier was convicted of aiding and abetting in the agents' deaths and nothing...repeat, nothing...removes the three of them from the crime scene.” (Fn. 14)

However, there is one question you can answer for us. After the agents were murdered (they were shot in the face at point blank range; so much for a self-defense theory), which one of you rolled them over, as they were later found, face down in the dirt? I know you can answer that one.

And there’s more. (I know this has been repeated many times, but it is so essential that Peltier supporters should be constantly reminded.) From your own words to your biographer Peter Matthiessen. After the murders you and others looted the agents vehicles. And you described one moment: “I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile.” “I didn’t think nothing of it at the time; all I could think of was, We got to get out of here.”

So, smiling, Stuntz puts on the dead agent’s FBI jacket, as you all stole their weapons, while the two mutilated bodies lay at your feet. Quite a scene to imagine, and one you can’t deny.

You described perfectly the actions of yourself and the other cowards.

The folklore and myth are dying, along with any meaningful support you pretend to have.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

Postscript : Editorial Essays vs. Blogs: All the approximately 60 formal Editorial Essays on the NPPA website deal strictly with the facts surrounding the trial, conviction, appeals and statements made by Peltier over the years (the exceptions are the Pilgrimage and Mission essays). They are factual and supported by appropriate footnotes and sources. Some have taken months of research and writing. Blogs, however, are more conversational in nature, less formal and essentially become a free-flowing dialogue, but specific references are provided as well. This would be the kind of conversation we’d have if I sat down with Leonard in the visiting room at FCI Coleman.

Footnotes:
1) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#13
2) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#critical
3) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#smoking
4) “In the Spirit of Crazy Horse;” p.544
5) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/timing.html
6) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/585.html (see II.B.2.i)
7) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/canadaletter.html (p.4)
8) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/court.html.
9) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/images/warrant.gif
10) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/lie.html
11) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/interview.html
12) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#amazon
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/myth.html
13) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#critic;
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#smoking
14) http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#robideau
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#critic;
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#thankyou

PELTIER: HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2011-11-29T18:47:00.003-05:00

PELTIER: Happy Thanksgiving—NOT

Again this year, Peltier sends his Day of Mourning, Thanksgiving Day message launched into cyberspace by the LPDOC. This year’s message contained a lot of “facts” about the history of this “holiday.” Some of Peltier’s historical references are a bit skewed and perhaps we can offer some other “facts” for Peltier followers to consider.

Peltier is irresponsible again with the mantra equating the treatment of Native Americans to genocide and the Holocaust. “The United States did not follow a policy of genocide; it did try to find a just solution to the Indian problem. The consistent idea was to civilize the Indians, incorporate them into the community, make them part of the melting pot. That it did not work, that it was foolish, conceited, even criminal, may be true, but that doesn’t turn a well-meant program into genocide, certainly not the genocide as we have known in the twentieth century.*

Can’t argue with a few of his facts though, many Reservations are deplorable, America’s original failed welfare system, making mere survival a challenge with particularly the young robbed of opportunities for successful lives. Although sparsely populated they are worse in many ways than the harshest inner cities. (Of course, there are fortunate tribes and Nations that are privileged to be near population and tourist centers, those with lucrative tribal benefits and incomes, some even with corporate flight departments. But then there’s the whole gambling thing…more exploitation perhaps…and by whom? To quote Leonard, “Ask any Pequot.”)

And we will give Peltier his due (as we have in the past**) when he does make a meaningful suggestion, as rare as they have been. Here he implores those who can have a good Thanksgiving dinner to donate it to those who don’t or can’t…admirable…we should all make those sacrifices when we can.

But let’s add a few more “facts” to Peltier’s list:

Fact: There was plenty of Indian on Indian violence long before (and after) the first white man stepped foot on the North American Continent. Some tribes were completely annihilated or enslaved by other more violent and aggressive tribes.

Fact: Many tribes laid claims to the same lands allegedly belonging to others. Many tribes cooperated, for their own benefit, with the occupying English, French and Spanish.

Fact: the American Indian Movement (AIM) failed in both message and deeds to help their own people in distress. They created more problems than they ever solved; if there is any doubt about that, just explore its history.

Fact: Wounded Knee (1890) was a tragedy, a massacre. Wounded Knee II (1973) was a demonstration of destructive lawlessness by a domestic terrorist organization.

Fact: On June 26, 1975, Leonard Peltier was not in Seattle.

Fact: Peltier knew he was wanted that day for an assault on a police officer (yes, he did beat that one), and knew that the agents following him onto Jumping Bull were looking, and had a warrant, for fugitive, Jimmy Eagle.

Fact: Peltier knew this because Norman Charles had been stopped and interviewed by Agents Coler and Williams just the day before when they thought that he may have been Jimmy Eagle. But that didn’t prevent Peltier, Norman Charles and Joe Stuntz from stopping and firing at the agents, pinning them down in an open field.

Fact: After the initial shooting began, Peltier was joined by AIM members (including Robert Robideau and Dino Butler) who also fired at the agents, catching them in a crossfire.

Fact: Agent Williams made radio calls for help that were overheard by other agents and those in the FBI’s Rapid City office. They also heard agent Williams get shot.

Fact: After the agents were severely wounded and unable to defend themselves, their heads were destroyed with a high powered weapon at contact range: Agent Williams had a defensive wound causing his fingers to be blown through his face.

Fact: While the agents lay dead on the ground (moved and rolled over), Peltier and the others ransacked their vehicles and stole their weapons.

Fact: With the dead agents at their feet, Peltier is quoted and describes the following, “I seen Joe (Stuntz) when he pulled it out of the trunk (the dead agent’s FBI jacket) and I looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile.” “I didn’t think nothing of it at the time; all I could think of was, We got to get out of here!”***

Fact: As a mater of recent testimony Peltier was quoted as saying “The ___ - ___ begged for his life but I shot him anyway.”

Fact: Robert Robideau, quoted in an email; “…they died like worms.”****

Fact: The jury had to consider (among other evidence) testimony from the “Critical Witnesses,” removing any reasonable doubt about Peltier’s guilt.*****

Peltier ends his message with, “If between football games and turkey and dressing you can remember me and those like me, I will be thankful as well.”

And, aside from the myth as a warrior and the alleged charitable fundraising******, we did, and will continue to remember Peltier and any others like him at FCI Coleman and elsewhere, as the unrepentant, low-life, cowardly murderer he is and always will be.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

*Stephen E. Ambrose
**http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#7
***In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, p.552
****http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#self
*****http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#critical
****** http://www.noparolepeltier.com/myth.html; http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#fraud

PELTIER'S MISSING MEMO & APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY

2011-11-11T19:33:00.005-05:00

Peltier “floored” at FCI Coleman.

Immediate Press Release; Dateline: October 27, 2011, Fargo, North Dakota: The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee (LPDOC) is urging supporters to inundate the Acting Director of the Bureau of Prisons because: “Leonard is being isolated as never before. In addition, Leonard has been assigned to a top bunk. Due to a torn ligament which has never been repaired, Leonard’s ability to climb safely is diminished. Mr. Peltier also should be placed in a unit with older prisoners, but Coleman has Leonard listed as being 57 years of age when, in fact, he is 67 years old. All of Leonard’s prison records over these many years clearly indicate his correct date of birth. Curious, right?” And, the LPDOC adds, “Increased activity with regard to legal visits, LOBBYING, outreach, event planning and management, etc., are putting a strain on our limited resources. Please help. No amount is too small. MAKE AN END-OF-THE-YEAR DONATION TODAY…”
___________

Apparently Peltier’s most recent cellmate (name unknown, but it would be interesting to know) never got “the Memo.” The Memo (albeit, satire) would have described that this new cellmate was America’s foremost political prisoner, that he’s innocent, has worldwide support, but an Indian who was prosecuted only because someone had to pay for the murder of two FBI agents at Pine Ridge in 1975.

Or at least that’s what the mythology would have one believe.

Although, maybe Peltier’s latest cellmate knows exactly who the warrior thinks he is, but hasn’t bought into folklore, or, could care less about Peltier’s reputation and is content to let the tough guy sleep on the floor.

Begging for money again as they do, the LPDOC uses a very dangerous word, “lobbying.” Really? Is this the Leonard Peltier Political Action Committee (LEO-PAC)? Because that will open another whole set of issues for Peltier. Let’s start first with some honesty on the finances. Peltier has kept this dirty little secret for much too long…his supporters should be demanding some “transparency.” (Please see http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#fraud)

_________

Forrest Yerman & Lamonte Boddie

On a more serious note other, than who gets the lower bunk: A young graduate student, (as reported by “the appalachian online”), Forrest Yerman, at Appalachian State University (ASU), Boone, NC., is “…prepared to sit out here as long as it takes to give him freedom.” The “him” being, Leonard Peltier, and the “here,” during lunch at ASU’s Plemmons Student Union. His tri-fold sign reads, “Free Leonard Peltier a Native American Political Prisoner.”

Yerman is also supported by Lamonte Boddie, president of the local Native American Council chapter.

They both referred to the recent petition for clemency that was the subject of the latest NPPA (10/22/11) Blog. That Blog destroyed the petition, not with innuendo or misinformation, but with facts and quotes directly from the record and Peltier. The petition itself was one continuous fabrication, yet people buy into it…

“As a Native American, my decision was very easy,” Boddie is quoted as saying.

So does that mean—regardless of the facts—or but for the fact that Peltier is a Native American, support for him should be unquestioned? Lamonte continued with “I have always been an advocate for my people and all people for that matter.”

Should we assume that those “other” people he refers to also include two young FBI agents savagely murdered in the line of duty? We would assume so.

Just a suggestion; how about Forrest and Lamonte using some of those critical analytical and research skills learned at ASU and really dig into the Peltier matter. Certainly don’t stop at Peltier’s website, nor the NPPA’s (although all the reference material, in its entirety, is there, along with the answers to every single question raised over the last 34 years regarding the Incident at Oglala and Peltier’s conviction). It would be hopeful that by seeing the entire picture they would come to some different conclusions regarding Peltier’s actual guilt. I, for one, would welcome constructive dialogue.

Should it be difficult to support someone’s alleged innocence when he is quoted as saying, “I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile.” “I didn’t think nothing of it at the time; all I could think of was, We go to get out of here.”

Peltier has proven his guilt more times than even he’d like to recall and it’s a shame if two young college students haven’t taken the time and effort to find the truth. It has nothing to do with being Indian…but with a brutal crime and justice.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

PELTIER NEARING CLEMENCY...

2011-10-22T19:35:00.002-04:00

Well, that would be the plan anyway.

In another effort to perpetuate the Peltier myth*, the LPDOC urged followers to sign an online clemency petition to President Obama. The LPDOC still hasn’t realized this is not a popularity contest and prove they are not reluctant to offer falsehoods even to the President of the United States; for example:

1) “10th Circuit Court of Appeals: …Much of the government’s behavior…and its prosecution of Leonard Peltier is to be condemned. The government withheld evidence. It intimidated witnesses. These facts are not disputed.”

What the President will understand is that although this particular court is entitled to its opinion, it had nothing to do with the facts surrounding Peltier’s conviction for the murders of Agents Coler and Williams, but a Habeas Corpus appeal relating to a decision by the parole board.

What’s more compelling though, is what preceded this statement as the court denied Peltier’s appeal:

"Previous federal court decisions provided the (Parole) Commission with ample facts to support its conviction that Peltier personally shot Agent Coler and Williams." And further, "While Mr. Peltier, asserts 'the Commission identified no plausible evidence that [he] shot the agents after they were incapacitated,' this statement is simply not true. The evidence linking Mr. Peltier to these crimes is enumerated above. The most damning evidence, the .223 shell casing found in Agent Coler's trunk, may be more equivocal after the surfacing of the October 2nd teletype, but it has not been 'ruled out,' as Mr. Peltier contends. There is no direct evidence that Mr. Peltier shot the agents because no one testified they saw him pull the trigger. But as we stated above, and restate here, the body of circumstantial evidence underlying the Commission's decision is sufficient for the purpose of rational basis review."

(Please see a review and the complete decision on the NPPA website here: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#concise, http://www.noparolepeltier.com/tenth_circuit.html)

2) “While others were acquitted on grounds of self defense, Peltier was convicted in connection with the 1975 shooting deaths of two FBI agents.”

“Self defense?”

Mr. President, please imagine this scene:

Two dead FBI agents laying on the ground—with their faces blown off—and while Peltier and others ransack their vehicles and possessions Peltier says, “I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile.” “I didn’t think nothing about it at the time; all I could think of was, We got to get out of here.” (Matthiessen, ITSOCH, p.532). That Joe, was Joe Stuntz, wearing the dead agent’s FBI jacket; Stuntz was killed later that day while shooting at responding agents and officers. Also, one of those who was there (Robert Robideau) and literally got away with murder, later wrote in an email to this writer: “…they died like worms.” “They were shot in the head at close range.” During his escape from Pine Ridge, as accounted in later trials, Peltier described the scene, as “…the m------ f----- was begging for his life, but I shot him anyway.” (Referring to Agent Williams who had defensive wounds as well.) Or, as late as February 6, 2010 in a public statement, Peltier said, “I never thought my commitment would mean sacrificing like this, but I was willing to do so nonetheless. And really, if necessary, I’d do it all over again, because it was the right thing to do.”

Yes, Mr. President, he said it was the right thing to do…

(Please see http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#self
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#finished, http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#confession)

3) “Evidence shows that prosecutors knowingly presented false statements to a Canadian court to extradite Peltier…”

Well, that’s not quite the case—no pun intended—and the proof comes not from Peltier nor the NPPA but the Canadian Government. It should come as no surprise that an October 12, 1999 letter to then U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno from the Canadian Minister of Justice stated, “I have concluded that Mr. Peltier was lawfully extradited to the United States.”

(Please see the entire letter here: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/canadaletter.html)

4) “…and manufactured the murder weapon (the gun and shell casings entered into evidence didn't match; this fact was hidden from the jury).”

Again, that’s not quite how the President will see it. The October 2, 1975 teletype (referenced above) was not required to be turned over to the defense during the discovery process (Brady material) but was later obtained by Peltier through the Freedom of Information Act. He appealed and this led to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals directing the district court to conduct an evidentiary (ballistics) hearing, which it did in October 1984. Of course, the LPDOC fails to mention this three-day evidentiary hearing or the fact that Peltier “…had an independent firearms expert present in the courtroom at the hearing, but he was not called to testify.” Peltier appealed that decision again and the Eighth Circuit Court concluded, “When all is said and done, however, a few simple but very important facts remain. The casing introduced into evidence had in fact been extracted from the Wichita AR-15. This point was not disputed; although the defense had its own ballistics expert, it offered no contrary evidence.”

So, Mr. President, what “manufactured…murder weapon” are Peltier and the LPDOC talking about?

(Please see, http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#concise and the Eighth Circuit decision http://www.noparolepeltier.com/court.html)

5) “The number of constitutional violations in this case is simply staggering.”

The “staggering” number of constitutional violations in the Peltier case is an astounding “zero.” Not once has any aspect of Peltier’s conviction or sentence been overturned as it wound its way through well over a dozen courts and the U.S. Supreme Court, twice. That’s the reality, that’s the truth, and that’s where the folklore dies.

Over 5000 souls signed a petition to implore the President to consider clemency, yet the petition itself is one continuous fabrication (a polite way of saying they are lying to all those folks, and the President).

All those signatories must, by necessity, fall into a number of groups: There are those who are ignorant of the facts; those who understand but ignore the facts or simply just don’t care; those who, because Peltier is an Indian believe he is only in prison because the government had to convict someone for killing their agents; or those who like trendy causes…although this one is getting a bit stale.

Whether its 5,000 or 50,000 signatures, the President will base his decision on the facts, and those facts, along with Peltier changing his version of what happened that day or other alibis (we can’t ignore the lie of Mr. X) and his own incriminating statements, clearly demonstrate that Peltier is exactly where he belongs and where he should remain.

Many inmates may be envious of Peltier’s celebrity for one reason only; it helps the prison time pass a little easier. Peltier is more than willing to continue this scam (not even addressing the alleged and anemic charitable activities and suspicious fundraising) as his supporters forget, or didn’t know, that Peltier came very late to the “cause,” but is now milking it for all it’s worth.

Peltier is a charlatan of the worst kind who has corrupted and hijacked an otherwise proud Native American history and tradition; as an alleged warrior, he is an embarrassment to that storied past.

When, or if, Peltier’s clemency application crosses the President’s desk, it will be denied in short order, because, beyond the folklore, the facts of Peltier’s guilt are clearly evident. Peltier is a remorseless killer and should serve the remainder of his sentences and be shown as much mercy as he did to Jack Coler and Ron Williams. And the President will understand that.

Please see “Dear President Obama” http://www.noparolepeltier.com/obama.pdf

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

* We have been beating the theme of the Peltier Folklore and Myth like a cheap toy drum for over a decade, and to some it may be wearisome. But as long as Peltier continues to fabricate and lie about what happened at Jumping Bull and try to convince people that somehow he’s a real warrior and his actions were somehow noble, then we must keep pointing out the obvious; that all this does is create a folklore following and perpetuate a Myth that is far removed from the facts. The above petition for clemency is just another in a very long line of examples.

PELTIER'S $1,000 DONATION...

2011-10-04T19:46:00.004-04:00

On September 26th, in an impassioned, if somewhat pathetic plea, the LPDOC laid out their dire financial straits. “We need money, envelopes, paper, donations of any size, sponsor a delegate, make a monthly pledge,” they say in effect. In other words, they’re broke. At least, thank goodness they didn’t go down the “tax-deductible donations” road this time…perhaps they have learned a valuable lesson from the IRS…but no one at the LPDOC will admit to that. And it’s no wonder that this “grassroots organization” (and all the while we thought it was an International effort—Elsie are you still out there?), is dying on the vine. Over the past several years at least Native America and intelligent supporters are seeing through the fog of Peltier folklore.

This begging is nothing new and has been addressed by the NPPA too many times already with a major review going back to May, 2004 (please see Editorial Essay #24; Peltier Donations: Scam, Fraud?, in the NPPA Debate Continues Section).

That essay repeated a statement from one of the LPDC’s (predecessor of the LPDOC) leaders, Bob Free that;

“Transparency regarding accounting and donations will be posted on the web.”

Two points; it was obviously a problem within the organization, and of course, that never happened. Too many financial skeletons in the closet perhaps?

But we’ll up the ante from a previous offer (please see NPPA Blog dated September 6, 2010 below). The NPPA will donate $1,000 (up from the prior offer of $500) to Peltier and the LPDOC if they honor a commitment made to their supporters years ago:

Post on whoisleonardpeltier.info the following:

Peltier’s last five years (2006-2010) federal and state tax returns, and the federal and state tax returns for the LPDC (2005-2008) and the LPDOC’s returns for 2009 and 2010.

That’s all they have to do and a check for a grand will be in the mail. Promise.

But we know this is more than just problematic for Leonard and the Committee…what they don’t want supporters (either the die-hards or the well-healed) to know, is how much has been taken in, or more importantly, where has it gone?

As an aside, the September 26th message also stated “Leonard’s recent transfer to USP-Coleman in Florida has created sudden and unexpected increases in the cost of attorney travel.” Which is interesting, and silly, because, as we’ve understood over the years, the attorney’s working on Peltier’s behalf have done so, pro bono. And there is no reason for any attorney to travel to Coleman to speak with Peltier anyway (unless it’s just to meet the legend), because anything they would contrive as an issue is all a matter of record. Even pursing the FOIPA material can be handled from an attorney’s office and not Peltier’s prison cell. Besides, there’s still the U.S. Mail.

But let’s not stray too far from the fundamentals, from Peltier’s actual guilt and total lack of remorse for what happened at Jumping Bull, or even acceptance of any responsibility for that day.

The two most important sentences for Peltier supporters and detractors alike to contemplate over the past thirty-six years still remain;

“I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and I looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile.”

(Of course that was the dead agent’s jacket Joe Stuntz was wearing when he was shot while shooting at responding agents and officers later that day. Please see Editorial Essay #54) Write Leonard and ask him to explain that one. And,

“I never thought my commitment would mean sacrificing like this, but I was willing to do so nonetheless. And really, if necessary, I’d do it all over again, because it was the right thing to do.”

(Please see Editorial Essay #52) It was “The right thing to do?” Instead of Leonard, write the President to demonstrate Peltier’s attitude towards his crimes and that he is not deserving of the slightest consideration for clemency.

Add to that the decade’s long lie that “Mr. X.” did it; if there’s any doubt about that, just watch the movie (http://www.noparolepeltier.com/lie.html).

And then there’s what the jury had to consider; distilling down all the other evidence to that core testimony each juror needed to weigh truthfulness, and the degree of Peltier’s guilt or innocence. Those “Critical Witnesses,” taken as a whole, left little doubt then, as they do now. (Please see Editorial Essay #55.)

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

PELTIER ESCAPES!

2011-09-22T20:01:00.002-04:00

Well, from the “Big House” anyway; the fabled and historic Lewisburg Penitentiary.

After a stint in this Pennsylvania facility Peltier was transported, probably via Con Air (and by way of Oklahoma City) to his new residence, the maximum security prison in Coleman, Florida.

It is here that Peltier will continue his consecutive life sentences, plus the additional seven consecutive years for his armed escape from Lompoc.

What isn’t clear from the LPDOC is whether Peltier’s June “shots” (see NPPA Blog, 8/28/11) for prison violations, that landed him in the hole for six months, will continue at Coleman or if the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) will cut him a little slack and allow him to return to general population.

We’ll have to see how long it takes before Peltier starts making demands about having his own room (see NPPA Blog 4/3/11), and the extra attention he demands as a “political prisoner.”

The LPDOC continues to encourage Peltier supporters to contact the new BOP Acting Director, Dr. Kane, and demanding that the “only acceptable transfer is one to a medium security facility in close proximity to (within a 500-mile radius) of his family and Nation. Ideally, Leonard should be moved to the medium security facility at Oxford, WI.”

So, the demands continue as if Peltier is entitled to special treatment, but it would be interesting to see exactly how many letters or phone calls Dr. Kane’s office actually receives. Contrary to the folklore of worldwide support for Peltier, the numbers are probably very small.

Also, adhering to the old saw that you’re judged by the company you keep, the LPDOC blog calls for “Free Leonard Peltier and Jeral Wayne Williams (Mutulu Shakur)” with what can only be described as a lame attempt at a flutish, tinny sounding semi-rap song. But it’s good that Peltier proffers his support for the former BLA and RNA member convicted of a Brinks robbery and the murder of a guard and two police officers. Williams’ possible release date is supposedly 2/10/16, which will predate Leonard’s next parole hearing by about eight years. Peltier has also voiced his support and camaraderie for the likes of Wesley Cook (Mumia Abu Jamal) and Timothy McVeigh. (Please see Editorial Essays:
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#10
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#standing
Peltier has been consistent in this regard; he knows a similar character when he sees one.

Perhaps Peltier wants to be the most infamous of the inmates at Coleman…we’ll have to see just how far he gets with that.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

BULLET POINTS...PELTIER

2011-09-10T21:20:00.001-04:00

From recent Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee infograms:

 Happy Birthday: As Peltier reaches his 67th birthday, now approaching the septuagenarian level, apparently he will be celebrating this one in the “hole” at Lewisburg for his recent “shots” violating prison rules (please see previous Blog). Certainly celebrating one’s birthday in solitary confinement is no picnic, but placing this in its proper perspective, Jack Coler and Ron Williams never had the opportunity to even celebrate their 29th and 28th birthday’s respectively, thanks to Peltier and his AIM cowards at Jumping Bull on June 26, 1975.

 Benedetti Prize: A group created in 2009 selected Peltier for a “human rights prize.” Perhaps they could also select those Peltier and his Committee have honored in the past as well, Wesley Cook (aka Mumia), and Timothy McVeigh (please see http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#10). Recognizing that using Peltier and Peace in the same sentence is an oxymoron, this effort is as meaningless as Peltier being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (please see
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#standing)

 Powerful Video: Really? Former BOP corrections officer Bruce Smith proves that Peltier supporters have a difficult time getting their facts straight. (Please see NPPA Blog 8/28/11)

 Disciplinary Transfer: The only inmate in the Federal Bureau of Prisons who thinks he’s entitled to dictate the terms of his confinement is Leonard Peltier. (Well, not really, there are probably a few others.) But Peltier and the Committee are “demanding” (while they suggest hounding the newly appointed BOP Acting Director…which, of course, is always going to endear themselves within the system—Peltier and the Committee just haven’t figured out how to approach these matters yet—no surprise there), that he be transferred “to a medium security facility in close proximity to Leonard’s family and Nation.” However, here’s another thought: the “Powerful Video” mentioned several times the extreme high temperatures of Peltier’s confinement at Lewisburg, so, in order to remove that concern maybe the BOP could consider another facility where high temperatures would not be a problem: FCI Ray Brook. Ray Brook is in the Northeast corner of upstate New York and a stone’s throw from the Canadian border. Excessive heat shouldn’t be a problem there.

 We the People: Regards petitions announced by the White House on its website. Here’s one: Convicted felons who have had their convictions dissected thirty or more times in various courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, twice, should serve out their complete sentences. And in Peltier’s case the additional seven consecutive years for his armed escape from Lompoc…just in case anyone (meaning Peltier and the Committee), forgot that little detail. Finding 5,000 people to sign that petition wouldn’t be much of a chore…but pestering the White House would not be appropriate in the Peltier case.

 Clemency: Not a chance here. The President, a Harvard educated lawyer, and someone who has promoted a pro-law enforcement agenda, would easily recognize the facts surrounding Peltier’s conviction, and how many times Peltier has changed his version of the facts (let’s not forget Mr. X as well), and understand that Peltier does not deserve any compassion for his crimes. (Please see “Dear President Obama” on the NPPA home page http://www.noparolepeltier.com/index.html)

 Walk for Human Rights: “The walk will depart from Alcatraz Island…” Of course they presumably mean to walk to the boat to take them to the mainland to continue their demonstration. Although this once barren 22-acre outcropping in San Francisco Bay, named in 1775 by a Spanish explorer, has served as a military outpost, a fort, military prison, federal prison and finally a national park, means many things to many people, depending certainly on one’s perspective. Former inmates and convicted felons reminisce the historical significance of places like Leavenworth…Peltier’s long time residence; Alcatraz, the Rock, or Lewisburg, The Big House. For many Native Americans, however, it marked one of the seminal moments in a search for full equality and identity and arguably central to the beginning of the native rights movement. However, during the 1969 takeover, which included many non-natives as well, they pretty much trashed the place. Hopefully this demonstration will be orderly and peaceful as they attempt to hawk the Peltier mythology and folklore.

 Labor with Labor: A catchy phrase with a misguided goal. Unions are about job preservation in tough times and it will be surprising if any union gives the Peltier issue a second glance.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

PELTIER "SHOT" IN PRISON...Bruce Smith

2011-08-28T18:17:00.001-04:00

PELTIER “SHOT” IN PRISON…Bruce Smith

In a recent brief online video (http://vimeo.com/27422654) the narrator begins with the typical and tired Peltier folklore that we’ve been hearing for decades (none of which is worth repeating here), then goes on to pass along more Peltier fabrications.

The focus of the piece is Bruce Smith who introduces himself as a former U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) corrections officer between 1982 and 2003 at Leavenworth Penitentiary.

Bruce Smith describes, and the narrator clarifies, two “shots” (prison term for an inmate’s violation of prison rules) received by Peltier on 6/27/11 that landed him in solitary confinement for six months. Six months in the “hole” is pretty serious by all accounts.

Smith begins by claiming that the FBI “calls all the shots,” and is the “ultimate authority” within the BOP. This is a ridiculous conclusion that cannot be supported whether Smith spent twenty-one years at Leavenworth, or not. Although the BOP is part of the Department of Justice (as is the FBI), an FBI agent (or two) from a nearby FBI office is assigned to the institution to investigate crimes by and against inmates and personnel. Other than presenting the results of those investigations to the appropriate United States Attorney’s office, they have no control or authority in the prisons.

Smith and the narrator describe the two violations, possession of currency (a 20-pound Scottish note) and an assault on a guard. The video briefly displays two prison incident reports.

Although the video only shows excerpts of two written reports, it was encouraging to find both documents on the LPDOC website…so we can get to the actual facts and truth of these incidents.

Smith describes the “bogus” shot of possessing money because Peltier’s mail would routinely be processed from the mailroom to “SIS.” According to Smith, the intelligence unit reviews the mail before being sent to the inmate. Which is a true statement.

However, the actual report from Officer Wagner reveals that Peltier was sending a letter to someone that included a 20-Pound Scottish currency bill and that, “In the enclosed letter, inmate Peltier admits to receiving the bank note in the mail.”

So, if Bruce Smith is correct and SIS allowed the currency to get to Peltier and then Peltier was given a “shot,” or punished, for possessing currency, then that would be troubling. However…that’s assuming—of course—that Peltier is even telling the truth in his letter about how he got the Scottish note in the first place. Peltier telling the truth has always been a problem and assessing his truthfulness would be like trying to measure the immeasurable with a rubber ruler. Just ask him about Mr. X.

Smith, and the narrator, then criticize another officer for touching “wires leading to a light fixture,” describing “bare wires on a light fixture,” and according to retired corrections officer Bruce Smith, his fellow officer was “not smart enough to realize that two bare wires will shock you,” and that the officer himself should get the “shot” (punishment) instead of Peltier.

Well, that’s not quite what happened. Officer Hamilton’s report stated, “The wires were located on the wall above the corner post of the upper bunk. I attempted to pull the wires out of the wall. Due to my correctional experience in the past I have witnessed inmates conceal contraband in the wall of a cell and attach a wire, or string to the contraband. This is so the item may be retrieved at a later time.” Then, while attempting to pull the wires from the wall, Officer Hamilton received an electric shock.

Smith and the narrator pointed out that another inmate had been removed from Peltier’s cell two weeks before. Assuming that was the case, and if Peltier is innocent of rigging the wires to the light fixture in the first place…then why, when his cellmate left, didn’t he point out the dangerous wires to prison authorities? He would have then been viewed as cooperating with prison rules and looking out for the officer’s safety. But then being a good-guy and doing the right thing has never been a Peltier virtue…that is, to anyone but himself and his own selfish and egotistical perceptions and self-importance.

So, are we to assume that for those two weeks in that small cell he didn’t see the wires at all, or know that his cellmate may have previously rigged them? It would be hard to miss. But then again, now, Bruce Smith, the narrator and the LPDOC have more folklore to twist around the Peltier myth. And that’s what they like to do, and right now, that’s just about all they have left.

Or, lets consider another likelihood. Peltier, after his roommate departed, rigged the wires himself to deliberately create a circumstance where he can pretend he’s being singled out by prison authorities. (The date itself is hardly insignificant. Had this happened the day prior it would have been on the 36th anniversary of the murder of two FBI agents at Pine Ridge and given Peltier even more cause to claim he was being singled out for harsh treatment.) This is not beyond the realm of possibilities because there have been a number of incidents were Peltier always claimed that he’s the victim. Peltier’s undeserved popularity has long since waned, so anything that can bring attention to him (for Peltier and the LPDOC), is helpful in their minds. Peltier loves playing the victim card.

Former corrections officer Bruce Smith talks of Peltier with an affectionate reverence, referring to him almost like a dear old friend and claims that these recent incidents are deliberate and part of a governmental plot to force this poor old, infirmed inmate into health failure, even death. “They want him to die,” Smith says.

Actually, Lewisburg officials would be content if Peltier would just follow the simple rules and not create administrative problems they constantly have to deal with. But Peltier has always made a habit of placing demands on the system by claiming a special status.

Bruce Smith adds that his father and grandfather would have been proud to see him speaking up on Leonard’s behalf. But would they? And as we are now asking…What took you so long, Bruce? You were in the BOP, in the system for 21 years, you’ve been retired for 8 years. How many times did you go on record to support the claims you now make? None would be a first guess. So now if you want your 15 minutes (actually 8 minutes and 50 seconds) of fame, or shame, you’re adding nothing to the Peltier cause. Where was Bruce Smith when Peltier has been in solitary previously, or during the fuss raised when he was transferred from Leavenworth?

Fact is that no one, especially within the Native American communities, really cares about Peltier at this point…the vast majority have seen that he and the American Indian Movement added nothing positive to Native American culture.

One last thing, Bruce Smith never mentioned why Peltier is serving consecutive life sentences (plus another seven consecutive years for his “armed” escape from Lompoc), so we will…

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

Ron Williams: July 30, 1947 – June 26, 1975 R.I.P.

2011-07-27T19:44:00.001-04:00

Dear NPPA Supporters:

Ron would have celebrated his 64th birthday.

He would have been retired by now, perhaps pursuing a second career like many of us, or maybe enjoying his life with sports, hobbies, travel, and probably spoiling the heck out of his grandchildren, as most of us certainly do.

But none of that happened because of a chance encounter crossing paths with a host of American Indian Movement (AIM) cowards at Jumping Bull on Pine Ridge in the summer of ’75.

Peltier at the moment is complaining because he, again, couldn’t follow the rules and wound up in the hole for six months.

For that one time each day that he’s allowed an hour outside his cell and into the sunlight, perhaps Ron in looking down.

Ron, from what I’ve learned about him, probably would be benevolent and show Peltier and the others mercy.

I personally wouldn’t be that kind.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire William’s family and all of Ron’s friends and Bureau associates.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods
No Parole Peltier Association
Founder
April 30, 2000

Leonard gets his own room...

2011-07-05T20:32:00.001-04:00

Dear Supporters:

Not quite the room he was planning on, and the LPDOC, as expected, is blaming it on prison authorities…No way Leonard would do anything to violate prison rules. Right? Of course not…

It’s been a few months since the last NPPA post but there’s really been nothing notable to report. Peltier is slowing slipping into the ether as more people have come to realize his scam and lies have gone on long enough. The Myth is eroding and the shine coming off the folklore. Pretty soon he’ll be nothing more than a footnote in the sordid past of the American Indian Movement.

(Really, sometimes I do miss Bob Robideau…he was an endless source of material.)

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

Peltier: I want my own room...

2011-04-03T09:46:00.003-04:00

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

"The Ten Points of Light"

2011-02-07T19:35:00.003-05:00

Dear Supporters:

Peltier’s (the LPDOC’s) recent 2/1/11 newsletter “35 Years is (NOT) to Long” was interesting in part because they perhaps took some advice and posted the entire Peltier trial transcript on their website. But they did so at their own peril.

Aside from having the court decisions posted on the website from the beginning, the NPPA focused on the transcripts and provided a straightforward, unvarnished review of the “Critical Witnesses Against Peltier” (Editorial Essay #55: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#critical Anderson, Brown, Draper and Long Visitor), including direct and cross-examination and opening and closing arguments. These were the critical witnesses the jury had to weigh most heavily…testimony that placed Peltier at the scene of his crimes. Interested researchers are invited to review the transcripts and the summaries and decide for themselves.

Now included on Peltier’s website is an interesting and compelling legal discussion (The Ten Points of Light), but—only to the uninformed, because none of this is new and includes irrelevant, erroneous and out-of-context material within their highlighted references (the Wounded Knee trials and the 10th Circuit decision for example); none of which address Peltier’s actual guilt. Bringing up…yet again…for instance, the 10/2/75 teletype (ballistics report) without…yet again…presenting the rest of the facts; the three-day evidentiary hearing and subsequent appeal, or pointing out that Peltier had his own ballistics expert in the courtroom but chose—not—to call him as a witness. If that teletype was really so compelling…why didn’t their own witness attack it?

Every one of the Ten-points-of-Light have been analyzed and explained in detail over the past decade by the NPPA, but just for another example, how about point #3? Number three begins ““The first appeal of Peltier’s conviction occurred in 1977 before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Donald Ross stated: “But can’t you see…that what happened happened in such a way that it gives some credence…” and #3 continues…

However, the first appeal to the 8th Circuit was rendered in 1978 (585 F.2nd 314, 1978 U.S. App. Decision, September 14, 1978, Decided {read the entire decision here: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/585.html}).

But would it come as a surprise that the alleged quote from the LPDOC’s Point #3, does not appear in that decision? It shouldn’t, and doesn’t…Peltier and the LPDOC are wont to continue the folklore. Whether they are deliberately disingenuous remains to be seen…but they have a track record that the myth is more important than the truth. The real record speaks for itself, and any oral arguments before the courts are the prelude to the ultimate and final published court decisions.

Would it come as another surprise that this very decision stated “Secondly, the direct and circumstantial evidence of Peltier’s guilt was strong…” (I.B.4).
It shouldn’t.

Notice too that the LPDOC has a habit of not taking ownership of its work product…presented, unsigned by amorphous, phantom and ill-informed authors hiding behind the LPDOC. Apparently they have little pride in their efforts.

Please utilize the NPPA search feature to remove the out-of-context spin…don’t take either side’s version…explore and make an informed decision based on the record, because here again, it is not just a curious but deliberate omission of facts by Peltier and the LPDOC. The legal issues have been litigated to death…there are no other avenues to pursue…they have been either waived or decided against Peltier’s interests…try as they may to manufacture more. If they expect the further FOIPA results to magically produce “a smoking gun” (certainly no pun intended), they are mistaken.

So, posting the trail transcripts (which is a good move) creates a problem for Peltier. For those die-hards the transcripts are irrelevant because they wouldn’t read them anyway (they would prefer the LPDOC CliffsNotes version), but for those who want to know what really happened during the trial and have the energy to critically review a fairly large volume of material, they would ultimately agree with the jury’s verdict.

But, of course, re-litigating is just an exercise because Peltier’s guilt is beyond any doubt. Please see http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#concise, and include the footnotes as well because those concerned are encouraged to research all the facts http://www.noparolepeltier.com/footnotes.pdf.

Re-litigating, or pretending that this is a viable option is just another way for Peltier to further demean an otherwise proud First American heritage. The vast majority of Native Americans see Peltier and AIM for what they really were, a genuine setback for native rights. That’s another reason why Peltier’s popularity has long since ebbed and he is in a constant mode of continuing to scam people that he’s in it for “his people.”

If Peltier had some courage he would not be afraid to post the finances, link to the NPPA and stop kicking this writer off the LPDOC mail list. The NPPA maintains three large lists, one of them certainly has a number of Peltier supporters, and that’s a good thing as well because no one has ever been removed from those lists. Besides, really, wouldn’t you think there are NPPA supporters on Peltier’s list and they forward the LPDOC material along anyway? But it’s a matter of principle…sorely lacking in the Peltier camp. So, LPDOC and Peltier, show some backbone and the strength of your own convictions (e.g. rhetoric) and come clean about the money you’ve taken in over the years and where it went and provide a link to the other side of the story…that’s what the NPPA did for your side almost eleven years ago.

The LPDOC’s Ten Points of Light—try as they may to create a diversion from the factual history of Peltier’s conviction—ignore the unquestioned basis of his continued actual and factual guilt. If there’s any doubt about that, just contact Mr. X. http://www.noparolepeltier.com/lie.html

Peltier now finds himself in the absurd position of the dog who, having caught the car he was so frantically chasing, has no idea what to do with it—so he looks around guiltily and then slinks away while he diminishes a proud Native American heritage in the process.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

New Year 2011...It's far from over...

2011-01-01T14:40:00.002-05:00

Dear Supporters:

2010 ended with yet another example that Peltier’s criminal history is still being examined. The final chapter has yet to be written in the brutal slaying of Anna Mae Aquash at the hands of AIM members, although prosecutors are getting closer. Graham’s defense to the charges was to offer no defense at all. His conviction in South Dakota last December demonstrates that those involved in ordering her death have yet to be brought to justice. They know who they are and some are still out there; many of them hypocritically speaking on her behalf.

So this is one thing that Peltier can contemplate during the coming year, whether others, maybe even like Graham, will step forward and provide the sworn testimony needed to implicate him and others in her death.

Perhaps, it’s time for Peltier and the LPDOC to remove Anna Mae’s name from their website list of those allegedly “uninvestigated” deaths during the Reign of Terror…a reign for sure brought on by the criminal elements of the American Indian Movement, Peltier included.

Peltier and the LPDOC will continue their sham fundraising for legal issues which have long since been waived or lost during numerous appeals and watch as his ebbing support recedes to nothing.

Now that the holidays are over and we all face a New Year with some optimism for a recovering economy, an improved quality of life for all citizens and a saner world, please accept the very best for a healthy and happy New Year.

In the meantime and for this New Year and those to follow, our thoughts remain with the memories of Jack and Ron, their families, friends and former co-workers.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

CRITICAL WITNESSES AGAINST PELTIER

2010-12-23T10:01:00.003-05:00

Dear Supporters:

All the best for the holidays and a healthy and happy New Year.

Please see the latest Editorial Essay #55. Introduction follows:
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#critical

The purpose of this editorial essay is to provide a detailed summary of the critical witnesses against Peltier; those who placed him at the scene of the crime. (There will be no discussion concerning Peltier’s actual guilt, which has been extensively covered elsewhere and is beyond any doubt.) The witnesses are presented in the order of appearance at trial and the complete transcripts (approximately 493 pages) are available and linked as follows: Michael Anderson, Wilford Draper, Norman Brown and Angie Long Visitor.

Also included for reference are the government and defense summations and the government’s rebuttal.

During the course of Peltier’s five-week trial (Fargo, North Dakota, March-April 1977 before U.S. District Court Judge Paul Benson) there were many witnesses who provided sworn testimony regarding the investigation into the murders of Special Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams (Reservation Murders, or RESMURS) that occurred on the Jumping Bull property, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota on June 26, 1975.

The government’s evidence and testimony against Peltier covered a great many more details to support the elements of the charges against him, however, in this author’s opinion, the most critical evidence against Peltier was—in a manner of speaking—his own people, other Native Americans at Jumping Bull that day who helped provide the jury with a sense of the agents’ final moments.

Certainly, the government presented other significant evidence in addition to testimony from both sides that either supported or refuted statements made by the critical witnesses.

Peltier’s defense team had but one mission; to create within the jury’s mind that the government had not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Peltier was afforded the presumption of innocence and the defense had to impeach those government witnesses who presented the most damaging testimony. Most of the critical witnesses were hostile (not totally cooperative to one side or the other, or sometimes both), and as noted below, some of the exchanges between the attorneys were contentious.

The jury was the trier of fact and it is not known what weight they ascribed to the testimony of each witness and whether the government or defense arguments to otherwise bolster or destroy the witnesses credibility was successful or not. But, in either instance, a few fundamental facts remained for the jurors to individually and collectively consider as they reached a unanimous decision concerning Peltier’s guilt.

However, in the end, the jury had to wade through a mire of often-conflicting testimony to determine the truth, as they perceived it. Sometimes those perceptions are indefinable, merely faint expressions or glimmers of truth or untruth, which they may not be able to articulate or explain but still provide a conscious recognition from each witness of the events of that day.

The jury’s decision, of course, along with the conduct and presentation of the government’s case and Peltier’s sentencing, led to numerous appeals so that every facet of the trial was ultimately analyzed in painstaking detail. The results of that voluminous and intense appellate review validated the jury’s finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The jury’s decision was final, but in the spirit of continuing debate it is now up to concerned readers to make their own judgment based on this review of the critical witnesses against Peltier.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods
NPPA-Founder

PELTIER NEARS CLEMENCY...

2010-12-05T10:29:00.004-05:00

Well, not quite. And before Leonard Peltier and the LPDOC get all giddy and start salivating over the President’s first pardons (December 3, 2010), let’s take a closer look at the list and compare them to Leonard’s crimes.

Of the nine, 77% had received probated sentences (in other words, no jail time) for crimes like illegal possession of government property, possession of cocaine, liquor violations, false statements, counterfeiting, and of all things, coin mutilation. Only two had received jail time (24 months for a military conviction) and a year-and-a-day for possession of cocaine and marijuana. Their average wait (spanning from as early as 1960 to 1999) was twenty-eight (28) years.

Within the backdrop of these pardons the President has received 3,389 new petitions and started 2010 with 4,716 pending petitions but denied 1,288 with another 842 being closed without any action taken (that’s about 2,000 if the LPDOC is keeping track).

What the list of recipients didn’t include was someone serving two life sentences (plus another seven consecutive years for an armed escape) who was convicted of murder and aiding and abetting in the brutal deaths of two federal agents, someone who has had more bites of the legal apple than possibly inmates on death row, twice reaching the U.S. Supreme court, and never having either his sentence or conviction overturned; someone who was the subject of sworn testimony (April, 2010) in federal court quoting him as saying one of the agents begged for his life but that he shot the---anyway, or in a public statement (February, 2010) announcing “And really, if necessary, I’d do it all over again, because it was the right thing to do.” (Please see http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#concise for additional details.)

See the difference? These pardons, as they usually are, were granted to those who have served their sentences (as minor as some were), have reformed, and desired to have their debt to society removed and certain rights restored, like the right to vote, hold public office or own a firearm. Not a likely set of circumstances for Leonard Peltier.

On a scale of 1 to 1,000, where these nine pardons rate as a “1,” Peltier’s name wouldn’t appear on the list of those deserving even a cursory review for consideration.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

LPDOC...Can't get the facts straight

2010-11-06T20:23:00.001-04:00

Kudos to Delany Bruce in the LPDOC’s November 5, 2010 “Press Release” because she had the courage (unlike the rest at the LPDOC who hide behind a website), to put her name to the release. And yes, this is the same Delaney Bruce who just three years ago Peltier belittled and threatened, but she’s back.
(Please see http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#delaney)

There are several, but especially two glaring errors in her reporting on the Peltier front:

“Native Americans have eagerly awaited a sign that the U.S. has listened to their concerns about the Peltier case, but were disappointed to see no mention of it in the U.S. report.”

Native Americans? This is hardly close to accurate. Peltier and the LPDOC have looked around and can certainly recognize—even if they are loath to admit it—that the overwhelming population of Native Americans have seen Peltier and the disruption caused by AIM as a thing of the past and something that contributed nothing their cause. Peltier’s popularity and support is almost non-existent and those outside of the U.S. (who typically only use Peltier to further their hatred of America…{Elsie are you still out there?}) are meaningless and have absolutely no say in what happens here.

Is there any wonder there was no mention of Peltier in the report?

Delaney (and Peltier supporters) need to do one thing in regard to the following statement…for once, please, read the trial transcript and get the facts straight:

She said: “With no evidence whatsoever, the FBI decided to ‘lock Peltier into the case’. Government officials presented false statements to a Canadian court to extradite Peltier to the U.S. where prosecutors went judge shopping and venue hopping to secure a conviction. In a racially charged courtroom, prosecutors lied to the judge, ignored court orders, and made inappropriate statements to the jury. They intentionally hid evidence of Peltier’s innocence and instead manufactured a ‘murder weapon’. As the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has noted, ‘these facts are not disputed’.”

Peltier’s innocence? Remember, he wasn’t in Seattle that day.
(Please see: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#concise)

As for inappropriate statements to the Jury, please see the ones that defense attorneys Lowe and Taikeff made…some were outrageous. (There will be an NPPA editorial essay posted soon that will answer a number of these kinds of questions concerning the trial.)

Actually the correct quote was:

"Much of the government's behavior at the Pine Ridge Reservation and in its prosecution of Mr. Peltier is to be condemned. The government withheld evidence. It intimidated witnesses. These facts are not disputed."

This comes from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2003 when Peltier filed a motion for a Writ of Habeas Corpus seeking immediate release on parole and challenged the record before the U.S. Parole Commission. This decision, also denied, was far beyond Peltier’s criminal appellate process that had long since been resolved against him.
Please note some little details that Ms. Bruce, Peltier and the LPDOC seem to deliberately ignore…the reason they do this has to be obvious to even the most ardent supporter:

"Previous federal court decisions provided the (Parole) Commission with ample facts to support its conviction that Peltier personally shot Agent Coler and Williams." And further, "While Mr. Peltier, asserts 'the Commission identified no plausible evidence that [he] shot the agents after they were incapacitated, this statement is simply not true. The evidence linking Mr. Peltier to these crimes is enumerated above. The most damning evidence, the .223 shell casing found in Agent Coler's trunk, may be more equivocal after the surfacing of the October 2nd teletype, but it has not been 'ruled out,' as Mr. Peltier contends. There is no direct evidence that Mr. Peltier shot the agents because no one testified they saw him pull the trigger. But as we stated above, and restate here, the body of circumstantial evidence underlying the Commission's decision is sufficient for the purpose of rational basis review." (Emphasis added)
(See the entire decision here: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/tenth_circuit.html)

Lastly, everyone should have realized that Peltier’s latest claims of some legal revelations in his case had but one purpose; to lull the unsuspecting into thinking he has some legal remedies. He doesn’t. All the claims were either waived at trial or have been litigated and appealed to death. So the real purpose is to continue the scam…collect more money from the unwary…and Peltier, the LPDOC (and the former LPDC) have yet to come clean about their finances. Folks are being duped, but maybe they don’t really care.
(Please see http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#fraud)

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

"I was railroaded, victimized," "I'm innocent"

2010-10-23T11:45:00.001-04:00

In Leonard’s September 6th statement it’s almost as if he’s calling his loyal supporters idiots. He must think that because even the most ardent follower…those who won’t be sidetracked or confused by the facts…can’t read. However, if they read just 10% of the legal history of this case they’d start asking Peltier some serious questions. But that’s not likely to happen and just how Peltier wants it…follow me he says, I was railroaded, I’m innocent, I was victimized. Drinking the full-dose Cool Aid, laced with all the mythology and folklore, is exactly what he wants his supporters to do…but don’t ask too many questions…and definitely don’t seek those pesky details. Just follow Peltier blindly into the forest.

“Staggering Constitutional violations?” (Peltier’s October 16, 2010 meeting with his “team of lawyers,” his “dream team” must have been quite a gathering.) Hardly. If there was one, let alone many, he still wouldn’t be sitting in Lewisburg. To think that at this stage there would be a legitimate basis for any procedural legal action is inane. But then that goes along with the grand Peltier plot that the entire government and the judiciary, right up to the U.S. Supreme court conspired, as he put’s it, to convict the last Indian standing for the brutal deaths of two FBI agents. Gee then, it must have been Mr. X.
And everyone knows Leonard lied about that little matter. (http://www.noparolepeltier.com/lie.html)

“But I was in Seattle that day.”

No, Leonard didn’t really say that, but for argument sake (again…) let’s repeat the twenty-seven (27) most important words—one single sentence—from the thousands of pages relating to this case: “I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and I looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile.” (ITOSH p.552; See also July 12, 2010 blog for a further explanation and http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#finished)

If those twenty-seven words were changed to: “I thought those agents were after me. I panicked and started shooting and other’s helped. But I had to kill them because dead men make poor witnesses,” their meaning and significance would not be any different.

“As a young man, all I wanted to do was make a positive difference in People’s lives.” He made a difference for sure, but Leonard came very late (about two years earlier) to the “movement” and any pretense of support for his “people.” Prior to that he was just getting by, and “When I was younger,” Leonard says, “I thought it was a lot of fun running around like that, shaking off all those wives. Now I’m older, I realize I hurt a lot of those women, and I feel very bad about it, I really do. I think about them all the time now, especially the ones that had my kids.” (ITSOCH p.533) Then he turned to murder and hijacked an otherwise proud native tradition.

If Leonard believes all this rhetoric…and he does…and because he’s no fool and is milking the only thing that has kept any light shinning on him (although the bright light has faded to a dim bulb) he needs to stand up and become the warrior he’s claimed to be…to use a colloquialism, he needs to find a backbone.

Stand up and show your remaining supporters where the money has gone (post yours and the LPDOC/LPDC’s tax returns), and if you’re not terrified about showing the whole story, link to the No Parole Peltier Association (NPPA) website.

If you won’t do that, then you remain the same coward you and the others were at Jumping Bull.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

A "Dog-Dare" for Leonard Peltier: Where's the link?

2010-10-03T16:20:00.002-04:00

A “dog dare” for Leonard Peltier

For the moment, to add just a slight measure of humor to an otherwise deadly serious situation, and to borrow an old Navy expression, this will be another shot across the bow for Leonard and the ever-changing stalwarts of the LPDOC. (Can we remember the LPDC and it’s multiple reincarnations and self-destruction? Sure, see Editorial Essays #18, #19, #20, #31, #34, #38, and #41. #41 relates to Peltier’s criticism of Delaney Bruce to “Cease and Desist,” yet, she is back again…)

Trying not to sound like a broken record (but that’s redundant in the Peltier argument because all they do is repeat the same false information…but that’s another story), this challenge has been launched to Peltier and his inner circle in the past, and ignored, but this time it’s very serious and directed not just at the LPDOC but any of the remaining Peltier supporters out in the field.

You’ve all heard and seen it before:

Since its inception on April 30, 2000 (that’s ten years and six months ago if anyone’s counting), there has been a link on the No Parole Peltier Association home page to Peltier’s website.

The message, repeated here for clarity, reads:

*For the concerned reader and researcher, the LPDOC can be found at www.whoisleonardpeltier.info. The FBI’s review of the case can be found at http://minneapolis.fbi.gov/history_peltier.htm. (It’s noted that Darelle (Dino) Butler has not been listed as a director/advisor of the LPDC or LPDOC).

The (*) asterisk was from the very first sentence on the home page directing readers to the link to the then LPDC, and now the LPDOC.

The link has been updated a number of times as it changed over the years, which shouldn’t be too surprising. The NPPA link, however, has remained, along with its message, consistent.

So there it is, from the very beginning asking anyone interested in the Peltier matter to go and see what Peltier and his network had to say and for them to come to their own informed decision about which side was presenting the accurate and factual history.

On this side of the fence there’s nothing to hide; matter of fact, from the inception of the NPPA all the relevant and critical court decisions were posted so people could read what happened for themselves, to review the real legal history of this case and not the out-of-context excerpts spun by Leonard and others.

So now we need to ask Leonard one very simple and straight forward question.

Let’s also ask Vivian Mendoza, Pamela Bravo, Jean Ann Day, Betty Ann Solano, Delaney Bruce, Peter and Barbara Clarke, John Gallagher, Arthur Miller, Lakoda and Kassandra Robideau (Regional organizers of the “International-Pacific Region which includes Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands [including Hawaii]) (Really, that’s quite impressive!), and all the TBA’s (the yet to be named, To Be Announced, phantom organizers):

What do you have to hide?

If, as you claim, Peltier is innocent, was railroaded because somebody had to pay for killing those two agents and there was a political agenda to dismantle the American Indian Movement, etc., etc., etc., then why hide half the story?

To make the point crystal clear let’s borrow a scene from the iconic modern American film classic, A Christmas Story, set in circa 1940 Cleveland, Ohio where there’s a schoolyard standoff between Schwartz, who’s daring Flick to stick his tongue to a metal pole on a cold winter’s day, while the other kids watch.

Lenny: Are you kidding, put a link on my website to the NPPA? That’s dumb!
Eddie: That’s cause you know you’ll lose whatever supporters you have left.
Lenny: You’re full of it!
Eddie: Oh yeah?
Lenny: Yeah!
Eddie: Well I double-DOG-dare ya!
(Narrator: “NOW it was serious. A double-dog dare. What else was there but a “triple dare you”? And then, the coup de grace of all dares, the sinister triple-dog-dare.”)
Eddie: I TRIPLE–dog-dare ya!
(Narrator: “Eddie created a slight breach of etiquette by skipping the triple dare and going right for the throat!”)

Well, Leonard, there it is, just as plain and simple as can be. If, and that’s a mighty big “IF” you want to salvage your dwindling support, then show some backbone and don’t be afraid to link to the NPPA. Really, what do you have to lose? If your message is the right one then you’re way ahead and will gain more supporters, otherwise you’re still the same coward you were at Jumping Bull.

So, I triple-dog-dare-you.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Eddie

PELTIER SCORES...

2010-09-12T09:09:00.003-04:00

65% on Vanity Self-Test…

Dear Supporters:

Peltier’s home page recently changed to an adulterated upside down American flag.

United States Code (4 U.S.C. § 8) states that a U.S. flag flown upside down is a sign of distress, and arguably Peltier is clearly in distress.

The U.S. Supreme Court (Texas v. Johnson) agrees that Peltier has the right to abuse the flag based on his First Amendment right to free speech. And no less ironic (as with other Peltier endeavors), he demeans the flag of the country he despises and ridicules yet at the same time wraps himself within the very protection it provides. As always, he wants it both ways.

(Please see Peltier’s flag at www.whoisleonardpeltier.info: We’re not afraid to link to Peltier’s website…more on that important point in a later blog.)

The new logo is framed with the words “The Bill of Rights…Just another broken treaty?”

That Peltier poses this as a question leads some to believe he’s not convinced…given, of course, his dozens of ventures into the courts, numerous appeals, etc. He’s had his right to due process, did not prevail, and his adulterated flag demonstrates that his First Amendment right to free speech is also very much intact.

There’s also that younger and defiant Peltier shown like in one of his self-portraits with an eagle flying out of his head. Or perhaps its just nesting…it’s hard to tell. Still, with all this symbolism, clutter and mixed metaphors of anti-America and Native America he can’t get the picture or message quite right.

(However, that wasn’t the face I saw at Lewisburg in July 2009; not by a long shot—no pun intended. He wouldn’t have the courage to use a picture of himself today. Face it Leonard, we’re all getting older…deal with it! 9/12/44)

Emblazoned on the red stripes (thankfully he did get the number of red and white stripes correct), are twenty-three—for lack of a better word, phrases or anecdotes representing Peltier’s self-description to his supporters. These are the questions about himself that Peltier is offering to anyone left out there who’ll listen. He is saying to the world; this is what I’m all about; this is who I am; this is Leonard Peltier.

Offering these is like a self-test of his own worth, an assessment of his own narcissism.

And to no one’s amazement, he failed.

The questions he answered correctly were: Native American, Indian (redundant and not politically correct…depending on the context), Anishinabe, Dakota, son, father, uncle, grandfather, brother, elder, prisoner, man and “wind chases the sun.” (Adopted from the probably never-to-be-released basement production of the same name by novice filmmaker, Preston Randolph, who has already demonstrated that he doesn’t want to be encumbered with the facts but is content to help perpetuate the myth. Prediction: Wind Chases will not even mention Mr. X and the infamous red pickup truck; which will in no way alter Peltier’s second biggest lie. Please see: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/lie.html)

And, we’ll give Peltier two more; poet and artist. But those are subjective…in the eye of the beholder as it were…and everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Although, one person’s art is another’s garage sale item.

Wrong answers:

Warrior: If viewed from the broader historical perspective as native warriors led by legitimate chiefs overwhelming Custer at the battle of the Greasy Grass, then Agents Coler and Williams were first surrounded and overwhelmed by a larger force, in this instance, Peltier, Robideau and Butler and a number of AIM teenagers (a teenager with a rifle can kill you just as quickly and easily as an adult). But the problem with this theory is that Peltier describes himself as a “political prisoner,” and, Coler and Williams were both first severely wounded and then shot in the face at point-blank range. That act alone makes Peltier not a warrior, but an assassin.

Victim & Scapegoat: Only in his own mind. A central element of the Peltier folklore has been that someone had to pay for killing the two agents and it may as well have been Peltier. That is so far beyond the facts of this case that it doesn’t register on the reality scale. For a complete review of Peltier’s actual and factual guilt, please see http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#concise

Icon: In all likelihood Peltier uses the definition of an icon that refers to—an object of uncritical devotion, and certainly there are those who look at Peltier that way. That number, however, is small, fragmented and marginalized while the overwhelming opinion of those who even care to think about Peltier see him as no more than an embarrassing cliché.

Hero: A hero? To whom ? AIM? Any serious analysis of how little the American Indian Movement contributed to the benefit of those they were allegedly helping would prove that there were no heroes in that group. Although the use and definition of the word hero has expanded in recent years, Peltier would fit none of them. If he’s a hero to the fringe myth worshipers, then so be it.

Teacher: If failure was the lesson, then Peltier was a teacher. Really, what did he accomplish other than setting the example that unbridled violence diminishes your cause and in this case led to a life behind bars?

Leader: More like the incompetent leading the uninformed, or worse yet, like leading Joe Stuntz to his death. To repeat perhaps the single most important quote of the entire Peltier saga—in or out of court; “I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk (Coler’s FBI jacket) and I looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile.” (ITSOCH p. 552: Please also see the blog entry below dated July 12, 2010). How obscene a scene was this; smiling with two mutilated dead bodies at their feet? Peltier cowered and ran as fast as he could for the hills, while Stuntz and others (at Peltier’s direction), shot at responding officers and agents. Leadership was hardly present that day because all Peltier did was place everyone in jeopardy. An inappropriate and criminal over-reaction to the presence of the agents at Jumping Bull put everyone’s lives at risk because Peltier believed the agents were after him. Great leadership…if you think the law is coming after you, shoot them.

Spirit: In every culture and religion there are good and bad spirits: draw your own conclusion about where Peltier stands…One day he will meet the Great Spirit and his eternal fate will then be sealed.

The Peltier myth is collapsing under the weight of its lies and the folklore is eroding to the point where Peltier will be no more than a footnote in Native American history.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

(Next parole reconsideration hearing, 2024)

Buddy can you spare a dime?

2010-09-06T10:28:00.002-04:00

Dear Supporters:

The LPDOC is asking to give Peltier a helping hand for his upcoming 66th birthday by sending “funds” (no cash, checks or contraband please, just money orders) to his commissary account, c/o Federal Bureau of Prisons, Leonard Peltier #89637-132, P.O. Box 474701, Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001.

This raises two issues Peltier supporters should be wary of, and a challenge.

1) When will Peltier and the LPDOC come clean (as was promised years ago; remember there was supposed to be “transparency” concerning Peltier’s finances?),1 and tell his supporters how much money he has already scammed from unwitting supporters and how and where it was spent? The NPPA has been down this road with Peltier many times. Please see Editorial Essay #24, Peltier Donations: Scam, Fraud?2 Peltier supporters should not be shy about asking the same questions.

(By the way, any donations made are NOT tax deductible. Contrary to any opinions out there, Peltier is NOT a charity case.)3

2) It’s apparent that the money trough, along with Peltier’s support network, is dwindling and in very short supply if he has to revert to begging for commissary money. But that comes as no surprise.

Challenge: No, make it a double-dog dare (more on that in a later blog):

The NPPA will make a $500 donation to the LPDOC if:

 They post on whoisleonardpeltier.info, Peltier’s last five years (2005-2009) of federal and state tax returns, and;

 Federal and state tax returns for the LPDC (2005-2008) and the LPDOC (2009).

The check is waiting.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

1) Editorial Essay #19: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#free
2) Editorial Essay: Peltier Donations: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#fraud
3) Editorial Essay #18: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#shambles

(Another Former) Peltier Supporter speaks...

2010-08-21T09:29:00.003-04:00

Dear Supporters:

(Former Peltier supporters are welcomed to voice their opinions: please contact justice@noparolepeltier.com.)

Reprinted with permission:

On Aug 7, 2010, at 2:09 PM, Nessie wrote:

Hello Ed:

I enjoyed reading this from yet ANOTHER former supporter. I totally understand how she feels because as you know it took some searching and several emails before I finally waded through all the brainwashing the LPDOC pulled on me.

As you know my mother and aunts were treated very badly by "town folks" where they grew up because they were children of color (Cherokee) so I was very adamant that Peltier was another Native American that had been mistreated and wrongfully thrown in prison. I finally did the research and questioned the LPDOC, and all of their sister sites, until I was convinced that both LPDOC and Peltier would say or do whatever they thought it would take to solicit funds and support from anyone they came in contact with. They use some of the injustice that did occur in our history to their advantage.

Peltier did not run from the reservation that day to draw harm from "his" people and he could have cared less about the safety of the children living there. He ran because he knew he committed cold blooded murder and as he seemed to always do he ran because he was looking out only for one man--- Himself !!

I also wrote many letters protesting Peltier’s treatment and the injustice of his sentence to any official I could reach. I did not support the LPDOC with money but I did offer at one time my home for his sister and others to stay in if they needed to come to NC to fight for the release of information supposedly being held in NC.

There is not a doubt in my mind that I had been supporting the wrong person. Joe Stuntz died because he was an impressionable young man who probably believed he was doing the right thing by following directions from such an important(?) AIM member. He died because Leonard led him to death. I believe without a doubt Peltier is responsible for his death as well as the death of the two FBI agents. Needless to say when I withdrew my support I was dropped from the LPDOC mailing list rather quickly. If you want to really find out what they are all about just start asking questions about where the money is going and exactly what the contributions are for and who is in charge of this money and challenge anything they say and I assure you it wont be long before they drop you from their mailing list as well.

Supporters for the LPDOC are being lied to and used to support themselves and to support Leonard. Leonard is not a Native American Icon he is no more than any other convict who committed murder and is whining and begging for some way to get out of it. If he really cared about "his People" why are they still living in poverty; where's all the money going he's supposed to be helping them with? Peltier’s followers are dropping off more and more as they learn the truth and as more information gets out to the public. Soon he will be left without supporters sending money, buying paintings and listening to his whining and I have to wonder just how faithful will his defense team be without pay?

Vanessa

PELTIER IN COURT(S): SILLY & VERY SERIOUS

2010-08-14T14:54:00.002-04:00

Dear Supporters:

Yesterday, Friday the 13th was Leonard Peltier’s day in court, or according to the Peltier Blog, “Common Law Court, that is.” A court that by the LPDOC’s own admission has no jurisdiction over anyone, anywhere and lacks authority to do nothing more than pretend that it’s to be taken seriously. It’s like kids playing in the schoolyard (which will be the topic of an upcoming NPPA Blog).

In a brief email exchange Patricia Johnson-Holm Shupe (Chief Justice ;-), indicated that “The jury decision is that Peltier should be immediately released and to proceed with a Grand Jury to bring indictments on those involved, on multiple charges.” (Can anyone hear the theme song of the Twilight Zone playing in the background?)

At some point (or perhaps not), Peltier leadership and supporters will realize that trivializing Peltier in such a way renders his protestations of innocence all the more silly to everyone, especially the Native American public.

However, August 12th, one month shy of Peltier’s 66th birthday, was truly his bad luck day in court.

According to the Associated Press, Circuit Judge John Delaney will allow prior statements made by Peltier, bragging about the murder of Jack Coler and Ron Williams and threats by Peltier to AIM member Anna Mae Aquash, in the upcoming November trial of John Graham (who is accused of raping and murdering Anna Mae), and Thelma Rios for complicity in her death.

“These motives clearly are relevant and probative to the major theory of the state’s case—that an ‘order’ for Aquash’s murder was issued by members of AIM,” Judge Delaney wrote.

And what’s the significance of all this for Lewisburg inmate #89637-132?

What it means is that the final chapter in the brutal rape and murder of AIM member and suspected informant Anna Mae Aquash has yet to be written and some of that may still lead to the bars of Peltier’s cell.

Understandably, Peltier tried to distance himself very early from the Aquash murder (http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#right) and claimed that the 2004 conviction of Arlo Looking Cloud was more of a government witch hunt against his efforts for parole than finding justice.

Aside from the fact that his next parole reconsideration hearing isn’t until July 2024 (his self-imposed popularity is at an all-time low; Native America has rejected the abuses of AIM and the destruction it caused; that this administration will pay him little mind and scoff at his claims of innocence—they can read the record themselves), Peltier is scared to death of the entire Aquash matter. He knows there are those out there who know the whole story and who was also involved in ordering her death and helping to facilitate her murder, and hopefully the truth will be told one day.

Anna Mae and her family deserve nothing less.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

Former Peltier supporter: Beverly Brooks...speaks out

2010-08-06T00:16:00.005-04:00

(Dear Supporters: Please see previous post)

To All The Leonard Peltier Supporters Who Are Left:

Want The Truth? Make Peltier Swear on the sacred pipe first then ask him if he murdered those agents, he knows he can not lie after touching the pipe. And read the book written by Joseph Trimbach and John Trimbach (his son), and read the testimony from an ex- AIM Member Richard Two Elk, what AIM was really about.

My name is Beverly Brooks, I am Native American and I was once a Leonard Peltier Supporter. Then as I was searching the internet, I came across a web site. I read how Peltier was shot down on his appeals and on parole and I couldn't figure out why, if all the evidence showed him innocent, but that did not stop me, I was hooked on LPDOC and Peltier’s lies. I wrote letters like all or most of you have done, I even sent money to Peltier, like I am sure most of you have, before I read evidence from the other side. I read statements from some of the people from the Pine Ridge Reservation, where supposedly Peltier was there to help them, to protect them from the "GOONS", when all along, it was for their own purpose. If he is innocent, why are they lying to their supporters? Why don't they say all the whole truth instead of only what they want us to hear? Why, because they don't want us to see his guilt. Where are all the changes they claim that he has done? After the shooting, they escaped and abandoned "His People". He was caught with the Agents weapons, but yet he claims he didn't kill them. Joe Stuntz had on the agents jacket when he was killed, supposedly by the FBI, but they only had a rifle and their pistols which could not reach where the AIMsters were, so how did Stuntz really die? Peltier stayed long enough to join in on the Sundance at which time he participated in the murder of Anna Mae Aquash, because they thought she was an informant for the FBI, later to find out that she wasn't. Peltier put a gun to her head and interrogated her and she told him she was not an informant. Peltier used the excuse that he fled to Canada because he would not get a fair trial, but yet the other two Dino and Robideau got a fair trial, he ran because he knew he was guilty. Why aren't the other names of people killed on their list that supposedly the FBI and GOONS killed, because they killed a lot of those people. There is no proof of any changes made by Peltier and the AIMsters, except that innocent people died and lives were turned upside down by them. Where are all his high ranking supporters, why have a lot of his supporters left, because they found out that he was guilty and they stopped supporting him. TV stations don't bother with him anymore either. The point that I am getting at is, research and go to NPPA and watch the videos and see for yourself that he is GUILTY and then tell others to do the same.

We are all more victims of his lies, help stop it.

"In The Spirit of Agents Coler and Williams"
Beverly Brooks

(FORMER) PELTIER SUPPORTERS; WELCOME

2010-08-06T00:13:00.004-04:00

Dear Supporters:

Former Peltier supporters speak out

During the past decade there have been a number of loyal Peltier supporters who attacked or criticized NPPA efforts to ensure the truth was available to all who were interested, that justice was served, and Peltier remained in prison.

Many of those supporters were challenged to debate or discuss the facts and many of them, after a willingness to at least listen to both sides of the issues, formed their own conclusions, recognized Peltier’s guilt and withdrew their support.

Of course, most of them preferred not to make that change of heart public, or at least not making a formal statement on the Internet, however, some have, and now all the others are certainly invited to submit an NPPA Blog entry to present their views.

Please contact justice@noparolepeltier.com

Please see the following from one former Peltier supporter who had the courage to explore both sides and come to an informed and independent conclusion concerning Peltier’s guilt and the complicity of the of the LPDOC.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

SA Ronald A. Williams July 30, 1947 - June 26, 1975 R.I.P.

2010-07-28T21:21:00.002-04:00

Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Williams family and all of Ron's friends and associates.

May he rest in peace.

"In the Spirit of Coler and Williams"
Ed Woods

WHAT? ANTI-SEMITE?

2010-07-25T15:02:00.003-04:00

What? Anti-Semite too?

Since Blogs, by their very nature are more casual and conversational (unlike formal Editorial Essays), I have to toss this back at the LPDOC; those few amorphous folks remaining who think they speak the truth on behalf of “Political Prisoner” Leonard Peltier. You know, the same folks who hide behind the smoldering campfire and are afraid to put a name to their work product.

Aside from the fact they keep dropping my email address from their email list (or perhaps they just don’t send out “press releases” anymore), they responded to a recent NPPA Essay #54 (http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#finished) and it’s related Blog (July 12, 2010: and yes, it was post-dated to mark the one year anniversary of last year’s USP Lewisburg event where Peltier faced the music once again, http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#paroledenied).

As for dropping the NPPA email address, and a heads-up challenge to the Peltier cohorts, there’ll be more on that later….

The current issue surrounded correct quoting and the treatment of First Americans.

So, I’ll ask anyone to please reread the latest quote and simply ask a follow-up question of the anonymous LPDOC author…

I said, “This writer (me) subscribes to (noted historian) Ambrose’s conclusions; based on years of intelligent research, and properly summarize the devastation of the Native American historical experience.”

So, again, what part of “the devastation of the Native American historical experience” don’t you quite understand? The recognition of what happened should be clear, and the cause of what happened was placed in its proper historical perspective. The “world view” definition does not—repeat, does not—somehow redefine American history, especially from the likes of the ineffective and totally anti-American United Nations. There are political prisoners around the world; Leonard Peltier is not America’s.

The LPDOC continues to imply that based on nothing more that an extreme hatred for anyone who recognizes Peltier’s guilt (along with the sham and fraudulent fundraising, the adulteration of a proud Native American history, and the myth that Peltier’s murderous actions and conviction are somehow politically motivated), goes on to say:

“But Ed, no doubt is also a Holocaust denier.”

Holocaust denier? That’s their conclusion? Call Peltier guilty and you’re a racist and now an anti-Semite? Apparently “they” haven’t read much of what’s on the NPPA website…shame on them for that because an awful lot of other people have.

On a personal note, I have quite an extensive library in my study: on one of the several history related shelves there are (about 2 ½’ worth) of books related directly to Israel and the Middle East conflict. I have been an unwavering supporter of Israel for decades.

For those few who remain, if there’s any doubt about Peltier’s guilt and complicity (yes, aiding and abetting as well) please see paragraph #10 of the previous NPPA Blog entry dated July 12th. He’s as guilty as sin and many former Peltier supporters understand that.

Explain that damning little piece of fact straight from, in a manner of speaking, the horse’s mouth. Miraculously, and much to the chagrin of Peltier supporters, Peltier wasn’t in Seattle that day…go figure.

We can’t have a meaningful discussion on Peltier’s guilt (or feigned innocence) if the facts don’t matter. But then again, that’s what the folklore, myth and Peltier misinformation are all about.

So, anonymous writer, and the amorphous LPDOC, take ownership of your efforts on Peltier’s behalf, show a little backbone and take ownership of your advocacy.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

P.S. In preparation for the next NPPA Blog, please view the iconic modern American film classic, A Christmas Story.

(Next parole reconsideration hearing, July 2024)

GENOCIDE...PELTIER'S NEARLY FINISHED

2010-07-12T19:20:00.005-04:00

Peltier’s nearly finished…Blogging towards the end:
July 28, 2010

A recent blog response from the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee (LPDOC) to the No Parole Peltier Association (NPPA) reinforces the observation that his message to potential supporters continues to be, even on a good day, encumbered with half-truths that have proven to be the cornerstone of the Peltier legacy .

The July 2, 2010 LPDOC (“Ain’t Buyin’ What the G-Man’s Sellin’”) blog quotes the NPPA June 26th, 2010 (“Peltier’s confused history”) statement regarding the matter of genocide in Native American.

The problem with this quote, as with so many out-of-context and inaccurate quotes and conclusions from Peltier and the LPDOC, is that it is intentionally incomplete.

The entire quote from the NPPA follows (the italicized portions are what the LPDOC repeated):

It’s not difficult to separate truth from falsehood. It is totally irresponsible to state that the United States pursued a policy of genocide toward the Indians, to cite the Washita as an example. The United States did not follow a policy of genocide; it did try to find a just solution to the Indian problem. The consistent idea was to civilize the Indians, incorporate them into the community, make them part of the melting pot. That it did not work, that it was foolish, conceited, even criminal, may be true, but that doesn’t turn a well-meant program into genocide (Stephen Ambrose).

Missing, of course, from their quotation was the critical preamble which distinguishes truth from falsehood, and the all-important attribution to the original author, noted historian Stephen Ambrose. It must certainly be obvious (except perhaps to the LPDOC) that the Stephen Ambrose reference was there for a purpose; to appropriately source the noted historian’s conclusions concerning the perception of genocide.

However, the LPDOC’s anonymous author missed the key point; the reference from this noted historian places the matter in its proper historical context. No one, Mr. Ambrose, nor this writer, denied the history, quite the contrary, Mr. Ambrose recognized and acknowledged what had happened and clearly defined why. Finding a just solution was the goal; that it was carried out the way it was does not make it genocide.

But let me be clear. This writer subscribes to Ambrose’s conclusions; they are factual and accurate, based on years of intelligent research, and properly summarize the devastation of the Native American historical experience.

*

Another critical point, as Peltier has repeatedly done, the LPDOC is also not providing supporters with accurate details. Why is that? Simply put, because it is within the details that Leonard Peltier’s guilt is unequivocal. But, of course, they do not want to discuss the fine points.

But let’s do it here anyway.

Buried within the thousands of pages related to the Incident at Oglala is just one small sentence, twenty-seven words, that precisely defines Peltier’s complicity:

“I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and I looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile.” (Leonard Peltier)

For those out there, even among the most ardent Peltier supporters, picture this:

On the Jumping Bull property there are two late model government sedans. Peltier, Joe Stuntz and others are gathered around stealing whatever they can from the vehicles. Stuntz grabs agent Jack Coler’s FBI jacket from the trunk, and as Peltier tells us, smiles as he puts it on. Laying close to one another next to the vehicle—face down in the grass, were two dead FBI agents. Two dead FBI agents with their faces blown away, who had just been shot at point-blank range. Jack Coler was probably unconscious from a devastating arm injury but we know Ron Williams, although wounded three times, was conscious (from his defensive wounds) and probably begged for his life.

Follow the logic of this scene if you will…the dead FBI agents were both shot in the face, yet are laying—face down. How is that? This means that someone among the Peltier (AIM) group actually touched and moved their dead bodies, grabbing them, positioning them, and turning them over to face the ground. (We won’t dignify those actions with the concept of counting coup; that belongs to genuine Indian warriors of the past.)

Unmasked, Peltier’s raging guilt is unmistakable…his ramblings about his own connection to an otherwise proud and noble heritage is an insult to Native America.

*

As for the anonymous nature of the LPDOC, what very few there are left, please show the strength of your convictions and step out from behind the make-believe wall of the LPDOC. Have some courage and sign your name to your work. If you are incapable or afraid of doing that, then there is an alternate challenge for Peltier, a challenge that has been offered a number of times over the past ten years:

Since day one, April 30, 2000, the NPPA prominently posted on the home page a direct link to the LPDOC (and formerly LPDC) with an invitation for anyone interested to go and visit, Peltier, see what he has to say, come back, and then come to their own independent, informed and intelligent decision about his guilt.

If the LPDOC has nothing to hide, if they believe that the message is clear and unmistakable and Peltier is really innocent, then what do they have to hide? If the truth as you and Peltier claim is on your side, then demonstrate some moral fiber instead of repeating allegations and claims that have not, repeat—have not—held up to scrutiny over the past thirty-four years.

Link to the NPPA if you have any sense of conviction in the Peltier cause.

Otherwise, the LPDOC’s and Peltier’s scheme of deceit, fabrications, falsehoods, fraud and theft, will continue to pollute the legacy of a proud Native American heritage that Peltier has hijacked from that storied past.

On a personal note, the LPDOC Blog also said “A former agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ed Woods…has made it his life’s mission to prevent Leonard Peltier’s release from prison…” Life’s mission? Hardly. I have a wonderful wife of forty-three years, two grown successful children, a princess of a granddaughter (spoiled, but that’s my job), a beautiful home, a productive and rewarding post-retirement career, a very active and full life, a hobby (not Peltier) and other interests, thank you.

Granted, I have devoted a good amount of personal time to Peltier, although it has been far less over the past several years (except for the Lewisburg parole hearing last year) as the entire matter is drifting into the sunset, fading with the twilight. No one really cares any longer because Peltier’s nearly finished. Those with some stamina to do some serious research soon turn away from Peltier as well.

The purpose is not to keep Peltier behind bars, but that certainly is the result of ensuring that justice continues to be served. It’s a mission then of honoring the dedication and sacrifice of two young men I never met and who were unnecessarily and brutally murdered in the line of duty at the hands of lawless AIM cowards led by Leonard Peltier. This effort entails the demystification of the Myth, laying waste to the folklore, and highlighting Peltier’s unquestioned and unrepentant guilt.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

(Parole reconsideration hearing, July 2024)

June 26, 2010: Peltier's confused history...

2010-06-27T20:44:00.001-04:00

Peltier’s June 26, 2010 statement asks what remains of his dwindling supporters (for those very few who even have American Indian roots) that they should never forget. “So don’t forget. Not ever,” he proclaims in yet another scamming metaphor as he continues to confuse and blur the correlation between a proud Native American history and his own criminal acts.

And, he uses the dreaded G-word yet again.

It’s not difficult to separate truth from falsehood. It is totally irresponsible to state that the United States pursued a policy of genocide toward the Indians, to cite the Washita as an example. The United States did not follow a policy of genocide; it did try to find a just solution to the Indian problem. The consistent idea was to civilize the Indians, incorporate them into the community, make them part of the melting pot. That it did not work, that it was foolish, conceited, even criminal, may be true, but that doesn’t turn a well-meant program into genocide (Stephen Ambrose).

Peltier prophetically and thankfully mentions two very important people in this saga, Anna Mae Aquash and Joe Stuntz.

Anna Mae is intoned by Peltier for one reason, and one reason only, to deflect guilt. Do we have to remind Peltier that her kidnapping and brutal rape and murder sits on the doorstep of the American Indian Movement? Anna Mae was suspected of being one of the “scouts” that Peltier erroneously compares to “an informant,” which has been proven not to be true. But AIM’s suspicions prevailed and without any benefit of a presumption of innocence she was sentenced to a horrible and demeaning death, and Peltier’s involvement will hopefully still come to light. That inquiry is still ongoing and her family anxiously awaits her final justice. AIM, on the other hand, was an abject failure, it accomplished nothing and only worsened the plight of those they allegedly claimed to help; the history of AIM is replete with examples.

Joe Stuntz, wearing a dead FBI agent’s jacket, was killed that June day while shooting at responding law enforcement.

Arguably one of the most important quotes of the entire Peltier matter comes from Peltier himself, and it is critical to place it in its factual context:

“I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and I looked at him when he put it on, and he gave me a smile (ITOSH p.552).”

For those with some common sense, picture this: There are two government sedans, Peltier, Stuntz, and others are gathered around stealing whatever they can from the vehicles. Stuntz grabs agent Jack Coler’s jacket from the trunk and puts it on, smiling. Laying in the dirt next to them are two dead FBI agents. Both had been first shot and wounded and then had their faces brutally blasted away at point-blank range, while one even begged for his life. Since they were both shot in the face, someone there had to actually touch them and roll them over to face the ground. (We won’t dignify that act by even suggesting counting coup.)

These are the actions of brave warriors? In 1975? Hardly.

No, these were the actions of cowards led by Leonard Peltier.

Peltier’s confusion about the facts of his own case and how it does not tie into the history of Native America, reinforces the notion of how Peltier thinks others perceive him. It is clear that his life at Lewisburg has taken its toll and allows much time to reflect about his actions that day. Perhaps in fleeting moments of honesty—if he is even capable of that, it’s certain he would have acted differently. But that’s an immense stretch, as he looks at the bloated figure in the metal mirror on the wall of his concrete cell.

We can thank Leonard Peltier for the reminder, and no, we won’t forget the cowards of Jumping Bull. Peltier can rehearse his confused rhetoric and practice his scamming technique for those who blindly follow. Followers who don’t have the stamina or insight to seek out and understand the facts surrounding his guilt while he shamefully continues to denigrate what is otherwise a proud culture and heritage.

Real Native America understands that. Leonard Peltier never will.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

(Next Parole Reconsideration Hearing: July 2024)

"10 Years Later" NPPA

2010-04-27T20:40:00.002-04:00

Ten Years Later

This decade passed quickly, but it does seem like a long time ago when I met Jack Coler’s youngest son, which led to research and twenty-seven days later launching the No Parole Peltier Association and its website. Its purpose has remained consistent and successful.

Consider this: The LPDC was formed in 1977 (and up to April 2000, and for several years on the Internet up to that point), Peltier and the LPDC’s fabrications went unchallenged. They had been essentially the only voice about the Incident at Oglala. April 30, 2000 changed that by adding a consistent presence to diminish the myth of Leonard Peltier and the folklore that festered around him.

Consistent about Peltier’s version of what happened at Jumping Bull is that it was always changing and evolving into what the uninformed followers were willing to accept as gospel from the Peltier camp. Those followers, for any number of reasons, were incapable, disinterested or unwilling to educate themselves about the facts.

Peltier supporters have heard and accepted all the versions, stories, excuses and alibis: “Pancakes and hot coffee,” “old cowboy boots,” “self-defense,” “a family caught in the cross-fire,” “pre-planned government raid,” Robideau’s alleged admissions, and the decade-long whopper, the lie of Mr. X, that was bought into by Peltier’s (on the payroll) biographer, Peter Matthiessen, and the gullible Robert Redford, and of course, the old fall back argument describing himself as a “political liability.”

All his excuses are tired, worn and have become irrelevant.

Although Peltier and his attorneys have avoided these two dirty little words over the years, ambush and assassination; taking Peltier at face value in his “press-releases,” these two words are mentioned here only to highlight the distinction that his and the other AIM members actions that day were not calculated, but those of cowards.

Over the years one of the main NPPA challenges has been to confront Peltier supporters to remove emotion from the debate; the emotion that arises too often when Native American history and issues are brought into the discussions about Peltier’s guilt. Removing the Native American issues (that Peltier has consistently used as a crutch to excuse his own criminal actions), and by examining the facts surrounding his conviction—even to the casual observer, Peltier’s guilt is unequivocal.

Peltier is not going anywhere. So says the parole commission that has listened enough, and perhaps for the last time, to his tired self-serving rhetoric and falsehoods. The biennial parole-review hearings are administrative in nature and nothing short of a total health collapse would make any difference; but then there’s the prison hospital. His consecutive life sentences, roughly thirty years each, plus the seven consecutive years for the armed Lompoc escape put his exit point somewhere in the middle of this century and realistically long past the longevity of most of us who have been personally committed to this matter; Peltier and this writer especially.

Peltier’s only hope is clemency, and this President, who has demonstrated respect for the rule of law, is not likely to even consider Peltier once he examines the facts of the case and certainly understands how Peltier hijacked, diminished and discredited a proud Native American culture and tradition. Claiming, as Peltier did as recently as February 6, 2010, that, “I’d do it all over again, because it was the right thing to do,” will not sit well with this President or those who later occupy that office.

As stated on the home page from the creation of the NPPA ten years ago, its goal will continue for as many years as necessary to “Honor the sacrifice of Special Agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams who were brutally murdered in the line of duty,” and to respond to the erroneous statements and allegations made by Peltier and his network; in other words, to continue to set the record straight by dismantling the folklore surrounding Peltier.

And along the way, following and exposing the money trail to curtail Peltier’s sham fund-raising and alleged charitable activities by preventing him from profiting from his crimes.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

Ambush and Assassinations

2010-03-13T14:10:00.005-05:00

Sometimes, Leonard Peltier makes it just too easy.

Based on a February 13, 2010 “press release” from Peltier’s prison cell at Lewisburg, he beats the drum, yet again, about being a “political prisoner.”

That there is confusion, anger and misinformation surrounding the myth of Leonard Peltier, makes it even more important to examine the facts and listen very carefully to those involved, particularly Leonard Peltier himself.

In a confusing twist, however, Peltier, who has denounced America continuously for decades, now (as he aligns himself yet again with another murderous soul, Wesley Cook*) claims “We are not terrorists! I love my country,” which is hardly consistent with his anti-America and AIM rants in the past.

He describes himself as a political liability and a “political prisoner in this ‘land of the free.’”

If, and it’s a tremendous “if,” his actions at Jumping Bull were “politically” motivated, then it does indeed sit on the mantle of terrorism.

First, let’s not forget that Peltier himself said this was a random event that began over a pair of old cowboy boots and that he was innocently in the AIM camp and “could smell the wonderful smell of those pancakes,” when the shooting started. Hasn’t he repeatedly said that they acted in “self-defense” (yet another theory he has strangely distanced himself from**). And then, for more years than he wants to remember, Peltier blamed it all on their friend, Mr. X, who murdered the agents and escaped in the infamous red pickup truck. (A theory, of course, that died when Dino Butler publicly called both him and Robideau liars.) But then there’s the pre-planed government raid with “dozens, maybe hundreds of FBI, local lawmen, GOONS and white vigilantes out there” waiting for Peltier and the other AIM members to surface. But there has never been a shred of evidence or proof to support that outrageous claim.

What Peltier is offering by painting himself as a political prisoner, is that his own actions that day were then politically motivated. And lest there be no confusion on that point, Part IV, Chapters 19-26 of his autobiography are entitled “Becoming Political.”

If that was, according to Peltier, the situation at Jumping Bull, then Agents’ Coler and Williams were not searching for Jimmy Eagle at all, but must have been lured into an ambush to be assaulted and wounded and caught in a crossfire between Peltier, Norman Charles and Joe Stuntz from one direction, and Robideau, Butler and more AIM members from another.

Then, since the critically wounded Coler and Williams were shot in the face at point-blank range as an act of political defiance, Peltier is now clarifying another explanation and motivation for their murders. Speculation varies about those final moments (but a few fundamental facts do remain), but if we should accept Peltier’s latest public revelation at face value then there is no other explanation for the agent’s deaths other than, they were assassinated.

These are two words Peltier, his supporters and attorneys have cautiously avoided for many years. These are the two most powerful words that help clearly explain Peltier’s motivations that day at Jumping Bull.

I believe, though, it was the ultimate act of a coward; Matthiessen offered a simpleminded laundry list of possibilities; the government believed it was a spontaneous event, but maybe now we do have the truth from Peltier himself.

And, Peltier is ignorant of the facts surrounding the cold-blooded murder of Officer Daniel Faulkner (it certainly had nothing to do with race or political extremism) but he has happily jumped in bed with Mumia anyway, as well as with the sociopathic, domestic terrorist, McVeigh.

Finally, we can thank Peltier for the clarification and allowing America to see that he’s happy with his conclusions and with the company he keeps.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

*aka Mumia Abu Jamal. Please see the following links to Editorial Essays and Peltier’s solidarity with Jamal and terrorist and murderer, Timothy McVeigh:
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#10
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#standing
**In Peltier’s 2/6/2010 “Press Release” lamenting his 34th year of incarceration and inadvertently offering a confession to the “Incident of Oglala,” he never mentions that is actions were in “self-defense.” http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#confession

Sgt. Charles Windolph

2010-03-07T10:41:00.002-05:00

Dear NPPA Supporters:

There are bright spots in the Peltier saga.

I recently received an email from a cousin of Sgt. Charles Windolph who came across a reference to him on the NPPA website.

In September 2004, and nearing the end of the trip to Jumping Bull and Pine Ridge, I happened across the Black Hills National Cemetery and Sgt. Windolph’s gleaming white headstone with gold lettering.

Sgt. Windolph’s cousin said she did not know where he was buried and I pointed out to her that I also had a photograph of his headstone on the website.

(Please see the Pilgrimage to Pine Ridge Editorial Essay for several references to Sgt. Windolph and the Medal of Honor http://www.noparolepeltier.com/pine.html)

I mentioned the cousin’s contact to a close NPPA advisor who told me that there was a book based on Sgt. Windolph’s experiences entitled “I fought with Custer; The story of Sergeant Windolph, Last Survivor of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.” I ordered it from Amazon, it arrived in a couple of days later, was a very interesting story, and it is now part of my growing library on American history.

What was all that about “six degrees of separation?”

Anyway, within the Peltier saga there are some bright spots and I was certainly happy that Sgt. Windolph’s cousin would one day be able to visit his gravesite, and his wife who was buried next to him.

Now back to Leonard Peltier…the next Blog post will deal with “political prisoners,” ambush and assassination.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

LPDOC...Issues & Rants

2010-02-12T23:08:00.003-05:00

---What follows is a point-by-point response to the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee’s (LPDOC) blog entry concerning the No Parole Peltier Association (NPPA) blog on the subject of Leonard Peltier’s confession to the “Incident at Oglala.” Web logs, or blogs, are expressions of opinions, ideas and thoughts; they’re like conversations and an Internet chat mechanism. However, definitive statements concerning Leonard Peltier’s guilt are found in the Editorial Essays on the No Parole Peltier Association’s website, www.noparolepeltier.com.
“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods NPPA-Founder

Sunday, February 7, 2010
Former FBI agent falsely claims Peltier Confesses to "Incident at Oglala"
PELTIER CONFESSES TO “INCIDENT AT OGLALA”

The above headline was the sensationalistic title of a posting made by a former agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ed Woods. Director of the No Parole Peltier Association (with an apparent membership of one), Woods used the title on that organization’s blog on February 6.

---This blog, as all other communiqués from the LPDOC (and the former LPDC) is unsigned. Apparently those who speak on Peltier’s behalf aren’t willing to stand up for their own rhetoric.
“An apparent membership of one?” For the LPDOC’s information, I was honored when asked by the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI (a fraternal organization of former and retired FBI agents; numbering in excess of 8,000), and the FBI Agents Association (a non-governmental association numbering in excess of 12,000) to represent their interests at Peltier’s parole hearing at Lewisburg on July 28th, 2009. Add to that a thousand or more NPPA supporters and you may be able to understand why the LPDOC is a little off on this point. And, if there’s any doubt, please take a look at the previous NPPA blog entitled, Operation PayPal…A success.

What is clear to even the most casual of observers is that Woods used this title with Google indexing in mind, as well as Internet users’ short attention spans. His hope was that the posting would be widely circulated and that all folks would do is read (and believe) the title.

---That’s partially correct, but I give those Internet users more credit than just a headline and believe they would read the entry, ask more questions and go to the NPPA website for answers.

This likely was also a veiled attack on actor Robert Redford who was recently interviewed on Democracy Now! about the Peltier case and the documentary film, "Incident at Oglala," (produced and narrated by Redford). You can view the interview here.

---Likely…veiled? Sorry, did not know Redford was on Democracy Now. The term “Incident at Oglala” has been euphemistically used since the film came out as a generic description of the events of June 26, 1975 at Jumping Bull. Peltier and the LPDC had been using it for years and do not have an exclusive right to that phrase. But, the film was not a documentary, quite the contrary; it was literally a screenplay of Matthiessen’s, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse. ITSOCH was a thorough but flawed work. Even the noted Alan Dershowitz said “…(and) not only fails to convince; he (Matthiessen) inadvertently made a strong case for Mr. Peltier’s guilt.” http://www.noparolepeltier.com/response.html#4
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/movie.html

Scandalous. Shame on you, Mr. Woods.

---Scandalous? Let’s see.
It was scandalous to post Editorial Essay #8 “Compliments to Leonard Peltier” which said in part “It is hopeful that many will follow Leonard's advice, and that those who do research his case will at least take the time to explore both sides of the Incident at Oglala. Understanding all the facts concerning his conviction could be the basis of greater understanding and a mechanism for change and progress.” (Incident at Oglala; there’s that pesky phrase again, and this was posted on April 30, 2001; coincidentally the NPPA’s first anniversary.) Had Peltier done anything else noteworthy of praise it would have been brought to light on the NPPA website. Sadly though, that was it.
How about Editorial Essay #10 “Reign of Terror-Many More Victims: By Paul Berg.” Yes that Paul Berg, LPDC spokesperson; a consummate gentleman, a man of character, integrity and intelligence who understood first-hand what life on Pine Ridge was all about and probably one of the best things that ever happened to Leonard Peltier. But as with so many who have joined his cause, Peltier’s hubris eventually pushes them all away.
And then there’s the link. From day one, April 30, 2000, on the NPPA home page is a link to the LPDOC (a link that has been updated a number of times over the years to keep it current with the many changes in the Peltier network): With an invitation for concerned people to go to Peltier’s website, see what he has to say, to compare, then judge for themselves and come to an informed conclusion. Why the link one should ask? Because the truth is on this side of the issue and we’re not afraid to show it. It would be a cold-day-in-hell indeed before the LPDOC or Peltier would ever consider linking to the NPPA. And why is that? Because that way Peltier can continue to hide behind the folklore…
“Scandalous. Shame on you Mr. Woods.” No, but shame on me then for being so open-minded.

First? It’s generally accepted that if people write in all caps on the Internet, it means they’re shouting. How rude!

---But maybe that’s just how Blogger.com sets up the headings. I’m pretty sure the LPDC used to use the same system. Besides, take a look at the LPDOC caption for this blog; big and nasty and offensive in bold and bright blue, and underlined too! Really, don’t get so excited, it’s just a title.

We could ignore Woods’ lack of manners, but we won’t ignore the lies in his critique of Leonard Peltier’s February 6 statement.

We challenge you to read Leonard’s statement (here) and find any instance where Leonard confessed to killing the agents.

---Leonard, as always, will receive a hard copy of everything posted to the NPPA website because it was apparent in the past that his network was not keeping him up to date. Posted soon will be Editorial Essay #52 entitled (yes…) Peltier Confesses to “Incident at Oglala.” In that essay there will be no doubt how and why this is Peltier’s (probably unintentional) confession.

Native American activist Leonard Peltier was wrongfully convicted in 1977 on the basis of fabricated and suppressed evidence, as well as coerced testimony. The United States Courts of Appeal have repeatedly acknowledged investigatory and prosecutorial misconduct in his case. The ballistics evidence withheld by prosecutors and the FBI alone should have mandated Peltier’s release from prison—at minimum, a new trial.

---Not even close to the facts…isolated statements without understanding the entire record has been the bedrock of Peltier folklore.
“Repeatedly?” No, actually there were two, and both followed with rebukes against Peltier;
1) "The use of the affidavits of Myrtle Poor Bear in the extradition proceedings was, to say the least, a clear abuse of the investigative process by the F.B.I." (Which was a footnote by the way); “This was conceded by counsel on the hearing in this court. It does not, however, follow that the testimony of this obviously confused and ‘unbelievable witness’ should have been permitted under any theory advanced by Peltier as hereinbefore set forth.” And, no less ironic and tucked away in the court record was Peltier’s own attorney’s opinion of Myrtle Poor Bear when they believed the Government would call Poor Bear as a witness. They characterized her as a “…witness whose mental imbalance is so gross as to render her testimony unbelievable.”
(The Canadian government, however, had the final say on the extradition issue: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/court.html)
2) This 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decision was not on the merits of the case against Peltier, but Peltier challenging his record before the U.S. Parole Commission. “Much of the government’s behavior at the Pine Ridge Reservation and in its prosecution of Mr. Peltier is to be condemned. The government withheld evidence. It intimidated witnesses. These facts are not disputed.” This same court went on to say "Previous federal court decisions provided the (Parole) Commission with ample facts to support its conviction that Peltier personally shot Agent Coler and Williams." And further, "While Mr. Peltier, asserts 'the Commission identified no plausible evidence that [he] shot the agents after they were incapacitated,' this statement is simply not true.”
Ballistics evidence withheld? Then shouldn’t we remember the three-day evidentiary hearing? (A curious fact always conveniently omitted by Peltier, his supporters, and the LPDOC.) And what did the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals say about that ballistic evidence? “When all is said and done, however, a few simple but very important facts remain: the casing introduced into evidence had in fact been extracted from the Wichita AR-15. This point was not disputed; although the defense had its own ballistics expert, it offered no contrary evidence.”
And in yet another round of appeals the 8th Circuit said, “Peltier’s arguments fail because their underlying premises are fatally flawed.” The court of appeals also said, “…the direct and circumstantial evidence of Peltier’s guilt was strong.”
And there’s a whole lot more, but then it requires the LPDOC to get into the details and they really don’t want to go there. http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#concise

Currently imprisoned at the U.S. penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Leonard maintains his innocence, as he has for 34 years, but Mr. Woods uses this quote from Leonard’s February 6th statement as his alleged proof of a confession:
“I never thought my commitment would mean sacrificing like this, but I was willing to do so nonetheless. And really, if necessary, I’d do it all over again, because it was the right thing to do.”
Let’s be clear. Leonard merely affirmed that he would—then and now—stand up for the survival of his People and fight for Indigenous Rights regardless of the consequences (known or unknown).

---Please see Editorial Essay #52 when it’s posted to the NPPA website. Everyone will receive an email at that time.

That is warrior way. Mr. Woods clearly knows little of Indigenous culture, despite his claim to the contrary.

---Perhaps not, but certainly more than some Peltier supporters I’ve dealt with over the past decade: The wannabe’s. I’m not a wannabe, never was or will be, even though my great-grandfather was a full-blood; what that provides me with is a greater sensitivity to Native American history and issues. But, please take a look at the NPPA home page, from the very first day, April 30, 2000, there has been a most important and prominent statement about “Correcting Wrongs of the Past” and Editorial Essays have restated this many times.

It’s also American way. Our liberties are always worth defending, we’re told.
“It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men.” (Samuel Adams)
Mr. Woods has always made outrageous claims, but his current approach is downright insidious.

---Fine then, if that’s the LPDOC’s opinion, then please, be specific: Exactly where are the outrageous claims? Every Editorial Essay is sourced and footnoted appropriately and provides specific quotes. Conclusions are clearly identified as such. That’s one area where the little battles with Peltier supporters end; when pushed to get down to the details…the argument is over and they leave.

Former agents’ new stratagem is to save Leonard’s soul—bring him to God, so to speak. Woods and others literally evangelized at Leonard’s July 2009 parole hearing. Woods did the same in this latest blog posting. These are men, remember, who were once sworn to defend the U.S. Constitution. Perhaps they never read the First Amendment. They clearly have no respect for the spiritual beliefs of others—well, at least Indians.

---What was suggested is that one day Peltier will face The Creator (the entity, and The Pipe, he often invokes for sympathy), and it will be on that day he will answer for his lies and actions at Jumping Bull. And as for the specifics of July 28th, please see “Mission to Lewisburg.”

We notice that Mr. Woods refers to us as “our Indians” [emphasis added] in those newsletters of his, too, usually while bragging about “taking care of” our People on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Such comments remind us of those of former agent Norman Zigrossi who, in documentaries that have been made about Leonard’s case, has stated outright that the Indigenous Peoples of North America are “conquered people”.

---“our Indians?” Please find the source for that quote. It’s not correct. On the other hand, Mr. Zigrossi is entitled to his opinion but I do not share his views or the manner in which he expresses them.
Here are a few excerpts from what has been written on this subject. It would do the LPDOC well to analyze their own rhetoric and discover what someone really feels and stands for before they start pointing a finger in the wrong direction.
From just one Editorial Essay, Pilgrimage to Pine Ridge: “Backtracking I found a sign and then realized that on top of the hill I'd overlooked was the cemetery and marker for Wounded Knee. The massacre at Wounded Knee in the winter of 1890 was the defining event in the First American's long and painful history with the white man. It's significance no less crucial to later America than Pearl Harbor and 9/11. It sprang from a growing hysteria that the reservation-confined Indians were engaging in ceremonial activities that would lead to more bloodshed. The hatred on both sides from the Indian Wars was still simmering…On the same spot where I now stood a battery of army Hotchkiss cannons and Gatling guns were poised to force the surrender of the old and ill, Chief Big Foot, and his Miniconjou band of men, some elderly, and women and children. The prevailing belief is that the conflict started by accident, a misunderstood gesture or accidental discharge of a weapon, but it was all that was needed for the surrounding army to lay waste to everyone: When the killing ended, by later official government reports, 290 lay dead, including 200 women and children. A number of these were buried in a mass snowy grave…For those, especially in the mass grave, their frozen silence marked the end of most efforts to escape Reservation life. The government's efforts to contain the Indian once and for all seemed to be accomplished…The mass grave and its marker are surrounded by a fence and an archway of stone, brick, and wrought iron. The stone is decayed, chipped and defaced with graffiti, the wrought iron rusted, and the road leading to the top of the hill, rutted, and with the rain, now muddy. It was indeed a sad testament to such sacrifice…Driving back towards Pine Ridge the melancholy of the day and what I had just seen added to an already deep sense of compassion for those who struggled to survive at Pine Ridge. I also knew the statistics; the poorest county in the nation, the highest average unemployment rate at 80% plus, rampant poverty, endemic alcoholism and everything that disease fosters, and a general malaise and hopelessness of many of its residents… Ingrid's comment about Calvin still stuck with me. She seemed quite proud that Calvin taught college. It was abundantly clear to me that there should be every opportunity for education on the Reservation, that's the very least the taxpayers owed these residents. But here was Calvin, a college professor, living in what could not have been more than a two or three room home, a home that was much smaller than a detached garage in suburban neighborhoods back east. It just seemed unfair that he couldn't be rewarded more for his labor. But maybe he's happy and pleased with what he has; and who am I to judge him on material things anyway?...The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 established an enormous tract of land as the Great Sioux Reservation which included the most sacred place in Indian folklore and religion, the Black Hills. The Paha Sapa was where the Indians believed their ancestors came from, the birthplace of the Lakota Nation. Now it would be theirs, for all time, in perpetuity; their sacred, most holy place, was preserved as the Great Father in Washington had promised. Forever anyway, that is, until white men found gold; "the yellow metal that they worship and that makes them crazy" called off all bets; the U.S. Government and the Calvary would see to it. But at least Uncle Sam was consistent, of the 371 treaties with the American Indians; all were either broken or annulled. The Fort Laramie Treaty had a provision that excluded whites entering without permission and any land sold needed the consent of three-fourths of all adult Indian males. Unsuccessful in persuading the Indians to sell, the government did the next best thing and declared all those who refused to cooperate as "hostiles," and ordered them to surrender. The U.S. Army had their mission; Custer and the Little Bighorn just made it personal. The whole process essentially ended at Wounded Knee…As I was leaving I spent a little time perusing the granite carved list of the four hundred men who worked on the fourteen-year project. I didn't notice any Indian names. But then I wasn't surprised either…We level off at a few thousand feet and turn west. Below I see the now familiar Highway 79 leading south, Interstate 90 and the valley running north to Deadwood. I see all of Rapid City and the surrounding open plains…The RJ pitched-up again and slipped gently into the thickening overcast. South Dakota gradually faded from view, but not from my thoughts.”

Make no mistake about it. These sentiments are at the very root of everything that occurred on the Pine Ridge reservation in the 70s. Clearly not a great deal has changed since then. It’s the white man’s way or no way?

Whether merely thought or spoken, these are oppressor’s words. Mr. Woods would have us accept them.

---No, I would not; these are not my words but the spin the LPDOC and Peltier would like people to mindlessly believe. There has never been one instance where anything but a genuine and sincere concern for the history and welfare of Native Americans has been presented on the NPPA website or blog, and I challenge anyone to prove otherwise.

Our freedom is a blessing from Creator, not of men... We must therefore respectfully decline.
We’ll do things Indian way, thank you very much.
We will never give in. We will never yield to force. We will never yield to apparently overwhelming might.
We will never be “conquered people”.
And we will survive.

---And that’s indeed fine; but don’t miss the point again. This isn’t about Native history, that’s part of the myth of Leonard Peltier he would like everyone to swallow: it’s about cold-blooded murder and Peltier’s uncompromising guilt. "In the Spirit of Coler and Williams" EW

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee

PELTIER CONFESSES TO "INCIDENT AT OGLALA"

2010-02-06T22:00:00.001-05:00

PELTIER CONFESSES TO “INCIDENT AT OGLALA”
February 6, 2010

In a statement today celebrating the anniversary of his arrest in Canada and the beginning of his thirty-four year incarceration, Leonard Peltier confesses to his crimes at Jumping Bull.

But as always, and with self-serving drivel, he couches it in terms of himself—the perpetual victim of circumstances.

Peltier laments Joe Stuntz; as well he should, the young Indian probably thought he was doing the right thing by following the older leaders and not realizing he was being led down a dark path by Leonard himself. After agents’ Coler and Williams were executed, young Joe Stuntz (who perhaps even witnessed the murders), helped ransack their vehicles, stole and wore Jack Coler’s FBI raid jacket and then shot at agents and officers responding to Jumping Bull—until a law enforcement bullet stopped him.

Peltier, not the tough guy anymore, whines like a baby “it isn’t fair,” “I don’t deserve this,” “I have cried so many tears,” and is still not willing to accept or understand that this is the price he pays for his feigned hubris.

“I never thought my commitment would mean sacrificing like this, but I was willing to do so nonetheless. And really, if necessary, I’d do it all over again, because it was the right thing to do.”

In other words he never gave any serious consideration to what his actions really meant or what price would be paid for those decisions. If his decisions were made “nonetheless” then they were made out of ignorance of the consequences like most common criminals.

Peltier telling whomever will listen that he’d do it all over again because it was the right thing to do, clearly establishes one critical element of his crime for this moment, and his next parole hearing:

Peltier knows better than anyone that two human beings were brutally attacked, severely wounded and then summarily executed that day. That’s what happened at Jumping Bull…and now there are no other excuses from Peltier. From his own words, gone is the lie of self-defense, and what remains is an admission of complicity and guilt.

To reinforce the notion of unrepentant culpability he assures us that given the same circumstances he would “…do it all over again.” What he fails to realize is that he’s making the case that he is still a danger to society. He reaffirms there has been no rehabilitation for him over the past thirty-four years.

Every breath he takes denigrates the sacrifice of two young agents who died a violent and horrible death. He raises money on their destroyed faces trying to convince the ignorant or enamored of some historic legitimacy as he maligns an otherwise proud Native American tradition. He is an affront to every genuine warrior from that rich past and when Peltier does meet The Creator, a judgment will be made as he answers for his crimes at Jumping Bull and against the proud heritage he’s hijacked from the past.

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

OPERATION PAYPAL...

2010-01-29T20:38:00.002-05:00

Operation PayPal

Dear supporters:

We are engaging in a program to persuade PayPal (AGAIN) to enforce their Acceptable Use Policy and remove the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee (LPDOC) from their system.

1) Please email and write PayPal, and Scott Thompson, PayPal President at:

compliance@paypal.com

sthompson@paypal.com

Mr. Scott Thompson, President, PayPal
2211 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95131

2) Please see the letter below to Mr. Thompson.

3) Please don’t cut and paste like Peltier supporters do; summarize your concerns and provide them with factual information and a request for PayPal to enforce their own Acceptable Use Policy (see the AUP on paypal.com; search for acceptable use policy).

4) If you know or discover other avenues to contact PayPal with our concern, please do so.

5) Please spread-the-word and share this request with others and any relevant organizations for assistance.

6) Additional background information concerning Peltier’s finances and questionable fundraising activities, conviction(s) and guilt, can be found at:
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#fraud
http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#concise

7) Please bcc me with any correspondence.

As always, thank you for your continued support honoring the memory and sacrifice of Agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams and to prevent Leonard Peltier from continuing to capitalize on their brutal murders.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed

Mr. Scott Thompson
President, PayPal
2211 N. First Street
San Jose, CA 95131

Re: Compliance Violation
Leonard Peltier Defense
Offense Committee (LPDOC)

Dear Mr. Thompson:

I have attempted on numerous occasions to bring a serious violation of PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy to the attention of PayPal’s compliance department concerning “the financial exploitation of a crime” and illegally “collecting donations as a charity or non-profit organization.”

Leonard Peltier is serving consecutive life sentences for the 1975 murders of two FBI agents. He also received an additional seven-year consecutive sentence for an armed escape from Lompoc penitentiary in 1979. Peltier’s case has received more appeals and legal reviews than perhaps most inmates, twice reaching the U.S. Supreme Court and each time his conviction has been upheld. The legal history of his case can be seen here: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/court.html
In June, 2004 PayPal recognized Peltier’s violation of the Acceptable Use Policy and removed the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee (LPDC) from the PayPal system because Peltier was “notorious for committing murderous acts.” As a result, Peltier called upon his supporters to boycott PayPal, Amazon and eBay.

The LPDC has since reorganized as the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee (LPDOC) and is a PayPal subscriber, and although their name and location have changed, their purpose has not.

The LPDOC is a North Dakota non-profit corporation, however, they have repeatedly solicited unlawful donations; according to their website “As with any nonprofit, your donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed,” which is contrary to state laws concerning charitable organizations. They have recently removed that language quite possibly because of IRS actions. The LPDOC also claims that their 501(c)3 exemption is “pending,” (for almost two years now), however they have already solicited allegedly tax-deductible donations and their application will most certainly not be approved because a “donation” cannot go the benefit of one individual. The fact that the LPDOC is acting as a Political Action Committee (PAC) on behalf of Peltier should also be an issue.

Peltier and the LPDOC attempt to hide their purpose behind the guise of providing educational information concerning the case of Leonard Peltier, however, they clearly state on their website whoisleonardpeltier.info that “All proceeds benefit Leonard’s defense fund.”

It would not be possible that the LPDOC has been able to comply with PayPal’s requirements to “authenticate the status of (their) account” or to prove their “tax-exempt status or registration under the applicable country specific regulatory body or laws, and to conduct due diligence,” as PayPal requires.

The fact that the LPDOC is a North Dakota, non-profit corporation is irrelevant because they have not secured charitable, tax-deducible status and are not 501(c)3 approved, and never can be; they are violating the law and using PayPal as their mechanism for collecting these funds for the benefit of a convicted murderer.

I hope you have the time to address this serious matter and abuse of PayPal’s policy.

Sincerely,

Ed Woods

Obama's invisible apology

2010-01-21T20:36:00.000-05:00

Posted with permission of the author. The NPPA agrees with Rob Capriccioso’s assessment except for any consideration by the President regarding clemency for Leonard Peltier. Peltier does not deserve that consideration and will never receive it.

Obama's invisible apology

A sorry saga

Obama signs Native American apology resolution; fails to draw attention to it

By Rob Capriccioso

The version signed by Obama became watered down, not making a direct apology from the government, but rather apologizing “on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native peoples by citizens of the United States.”

Even with the more general language, the apology is historic, but the White House has made no announcements to date about it. Nor has Obama expressed an apology to any tribes or Indian citizens, despite saying on the presidential campaign trail that he thought an apology was warranted.

The resolution Obama signed specifically “urges the President to acknowledge the wrongs of the United States against Indian tribes in the history of the United States in order to bring healing to this land.”

So, by signing the document as part of the defense spending bill, did Obama fulfill the resolution? Or, does he have an obligation to say the apology out loud and to let tribes know he signed the resolution?

[White House spokesman Shin Inouye] confirmed that a press release was issued by the White House regarding the president’s signature of the defense appropriations bill, but not one on the apology resolution--nor did the defense release mention that the apology was part of that legislation.

When other countries have apologized for travesties against their own indigenous populations, their leaders have been more up front than the Obama White House to date.

Comment: This tallies with what we've seen of Obama the candidate and president. He's probably offered more symbolic gestures to Indians than any presidential politician. But as president, he's doing the bare minimum to mollify Indians while not alienating anyone else.

Examples: Talking about settling the West and dissolving tribes in his Inaugural Address. Appointing a Republican Mormon to oversee Indian gaming. Holding a tribal summit that accomplished nothing but a promise of more consultations. Settling the Cobell case for pennies on the dollar. Not signing the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights or addressing Leonard Peltier's case (yet). And burying the US apology to Indians and not mentioning it.

We're still waiting for the first case of Obama's saying or doing something that will clearly please Indians but displease non-Indians. We may have a long wait.

"The Smoking Gun"

2010-01-15T19:03:00.000-05:00

“The Smoking Gun”

Please see the latest NPPA Editorial Essay #51, “The Smoking Gun” dispelling Peltier’s claims that the Incident at Oglala was a pre-planed government event. There is no basis in fact for this assertion and it is clearly another piece of the contrived folklore surrounding the myth of Leonard Peltier.

http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#smoking

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”

Ed Woods

NPPA

Jack Coler: January 12, 1947 - June 26,1975

2010-01-03T10:38:00.000-05:00

Jack Coler January 12, 1947 – June 26, 1975

Jack would have celebrated his 63^rd birthday on January 12^th, but his sons were robbed of their father, their mother of her husband, and many others of their friend and fellow agent. Jack’s two sons were but one and a half and three when their father was brutally murdered on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

On July 28, 2009, at Peltier’s parole hearing, I had the opportunity to spend most of the day with Jack’s sons at Lewisburg Penitentiary. Because of their young age when their father died they probably have little or no memory of him; but I didn’t ask. I met the younger son by happenstance on April 3, 2000; that encounter led to the creation of the NPPA http://www.noparolepeltier.com/pine.html.

The elder son bears a striking resemblance to his father. And although I never met Jack Coler, that day at Lewisburg I felt I had come as close as I could have. http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#paroledenied.

The criminal acts of Leonard Peltier and others ended what otherwise would have been a productive Bureau career, a rewarding and loving family life, and by now with the blessing of grandchildren.

Our thoughts and prayers go out Jack’s family and friends.

Jack’s sacrifice in the line of duty will never be forgotten.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”

Ed Woods

On Civil Discourse

2009-12-11T19:51:00.000-05:00

Dear supporters and subscribers:

Welcome to the NPPA’s new Blog.

The blog was to begin in January with an entry regarding Jack Coler’s birthday, however, a recent exchange of emails with the Leonard Peltier Defense-Offense Committee (LPDOC) concerning an out-of-control, foul-mouthed, self-appointed supporter who was not representing Peltier well in the court of public opinion, presented an opportunity to explore the concept of civil discourse and debate.

In an email dated 12/9/09 at 3:01pm the following was received from Jeff Armstrong, Communications Director, LPDOC:

(Name omitted) et al,

I have to agree that we should take the high road on this and not stoop to the level of Leonard’s framers and defamers. I’m not speaking for the LPDOC here, but I would like to see a more civil debate based on the facts of the case. I hope Ed Woods will reciprocate by withdrawing any objections he has filed with the IRS to hold up our 501 c3 status. Will he join us in calling for the release of 10,000 pages of FBI documents identifying informants and other participants in the FBI’s war on AIM? How about the “misplaced” Myrtle Poor Bear files? This is vitally important historical information whose suppression can only be justified by perpetuating the myth that Leonard Peltier and other AIM activists were violent criminals, rather than idealistic activists in a turbulent era.

Jeff Armstrong

Reply to Jeff Armstrong, Leonard Peltier and the LPDOC:

Jeff, Leonard, LPDOC:

First, thank you for the sincere and articulate reply and I would like to respond to the important points you’ve raised.

1) Continuing the Peltier debate in a civil, responsible and professional manner is crucial to ensure that those watching can make their own judgments concerning exactly what happened at Jumping Bull, and Peltier’s guilt.

2) Fundraising, etc.: The short answer is, no. This is an area where Peltier needs to be open and honest with his supporters and has been an ongoing issued both from outside observers and within the LPDOC (LPDC). As far back as 2003 LPDC leaders were calling for “transparency” concerning Peltier finances; and that has never happened (Editorial Essays 18,19 and 20 in the Debate Continues section, and http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#fraud). A crucial premise here, of course, is the whole notion of tax-deductible donations. (Although, I did just notice that you have removed the—donations are tax deductible—comment from your website, and that’s a positive step.) But looking deeper into the issue and asking for donations for things like “legal expenses associated with Leonard’s case-filing and cost recovery fees and attorney travel, for example-as well as community outreach and public education efforts conducted on his behalf,” are not legitimate charitable donations. If Leonard wants to ask for money for those things, and people are willing to contribute, that’s fine (as long as he claims it as income), but not when it’s mixed with or implied that there are some others benefitting from this money. Claiming that “Our application for 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt status is pending” is perhaps a true statement but it is disingenuous and misleading; it will be pending until the IRS turns it down because no matter what terms the Peltier issues are framed in, Leonard is not, and never will be, a charity case. Supporters must know that, and Leonard needs to show “transparency” regarding finances as some of his close supporters have repeatedly demanded.

3) FOIA: It’s been repeated a number of times in Editorial Essays that I would like to see that pages remaining be made public in the national archives. That would help quiet the endless speculation. However, the Freedom of Information Act regulations are cumbersome and I wouldn’t begin to understand all the fine points, but do fully understand the need to protect the identity of sources; they or their families would still be in jeopardy. But that’s something to be argued in the courts, as Leonard and his attorneys have done.

There is a important corollary to this however: A good example is the 6/26/75 FBI log on your related website http://www.freepeltiernow.org/LEGAL/INCIDENT.htm.That one (1) page is there to support the premise that the Incident at Oglala was a pre-planned government move against AIM. Since Leonard has the entire document, why not, in all fairness, post the entire log and not just the one page that removes the context of the radio transmissions. I have personally asked the LPDOC for a copy of the complete document and they have never responded. This radio log will be the topic of an upcoming Editorial Essay entitled “the smoking gun.”

As you have seen, Aim is mentioned only a few times on the entire NPPA website, and mostly in passing. There are certainly other issues out there but Leonard is the focal point here.

Another, more recent point relates to statements made by Leonard, his attorney, Seitz, and the LPDOC after the parole hearing. I have asked, and will ask again for Leonard to post the Parole commission’s Notice of Action. That would resolve the question about exactly what the Commission had to say as they reached their decision. I’ve made an offer to transcribe the hearing as well. But without some real proof, Peltier supporters will not know what really happened at Lewisburg.

Betty Solano’s recent statement (November 10^th Newsletter) that “…the U.S. Parole Commission on August 20 denied Leonard his well-deserved release on the basis of false and unsubstantiated claims by the FBI and the Justice Department” is so patently false that there has to be some reconciliation of the facts. The devil is in the details as it were. I was there and was pretty much privy to the entire event, and what Solano claims is not true. But we can straighten out this conundrum, as she also said, “Well, no more beating around the bush.” And I couldn’t agree more, so to put it more colloquially, Betty, Leonard, Et. Al., I’m calling your bluff. There is one very simple way to resolve this and I have offered to spend the time to transcribe the hearing recording. Post the Notice of Action and a transcript of the parole hearing so others can make their own judgments about who’s telling the truth.

I will tell you now, Jeff, if I am proven wrong, I will fold up my tent, head off into the sunset, shut down the NPPA website and not spend another moment of my life on Leonard Peltier.

4) Poor Bear: I would have no idea about any missing files or that Leonard has made such a claim. On a personal note my career was spent chasing bank robbers and the like and I had no access to anything officially connected to RESMURS or Peltier. Everything I have obtained and posted has come from either public sources (like all the court decisions), books, or the Internet and Leonard’s and others, public statements.

Why is Poor Bear even an issue anymore? That’s a rhetorical question of course, because she’s an issue that has been fully explored and resolved. She was never a witness against Leonard, she contributed nothing to his conviction, and even Leonard’s lawyer recognized that because in his opening statement he said she was a “witness whose mental imbalance is so gross as to render her testimony unbelievable.” So Leonard really cannot have it both ways.

And yes, there’s the extradition; but the Canadian Government after considerable review said that Peltier was legally extradicted to the United States. http://www.noparolepeltier.com/canadaletter.html They had the final word on extradition.

AIM: That was a very good turn of a phrase and I can see why you are the communications director: “perpetuating the myth that Leonard Peltier and other AIM activists were violent criminals, rather than idealistic activists in a turbulent era.”

So then, we’re blaming their criminal actions on the times? No accountability for all the chaos they caused? Rather than go there, because frankly I don’t care about AIM, you would have to make a much larger argument to convince any reasonable people that AIM benefited those it claimed to help. And I know there are a lot of native people on the Ridge and elsewhere who would agree with that assessment. The history of AIM is not on your side of that argument and no matter how much Peltier and his supporters try to convince otherwise, all that has to be done is take a close look at AIM leadership, where they came from, where they went afterward and the path of destruction they left in their wake.

Having a reasonable and civil discourse and debate on the Peltier matter is a positive thing and I thank you for helping to promote that while we focus in on the details of Peltier’s guilt and the myth that has grown around the folklore. We can then let the undecided make up their own minds.

Regards,

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”

Ed Woods

2009-11-29T11:04:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the No Parole Peltier Association (NPPA) blog.

Postings will begin in January 2010.

"In the Spirit of Coler and Williams"
Ed Woods
NPPA Founder