June 26, 1975: Peltier at New Orleans

June 26, 1975, Pine Ridge. Peltier at New Orleans, May 24, 2012:

Today marks thirty-seven years since the brutal murders of FBI Agents Jack R. Coler and Ronald A. Williams on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families. We will continue to honor their memory and sacrifice in the line of duty.
New Orleans, May 24, 2012: Peltier didn’t appear at the FBI Headquarters in New Orleans, but at the gracious invitation of the retiring Special Agent in Charge, Ed Woods, the founder of the No Parole Peltier Association, provided an hour-long presentation at an all-employee conference. Covered were the facts surrounding the wounding and then cold-blooded murder of Agents Coler and Williams, the RESMURS (Reservation Murders) investigation, the conviction, and the sentencing and appeals of Leonard Peltier.
The greater part of the presentation was devoted to what Peltier has said over the past three and a half decades concerning his alleged innocence. Direct quotes from Peltier established for the audience Peltier’s unequivocal and remorseless guilt. It was pointed out that Peltier has only abused his Native American heritage; he has adulterated an otherwise proud American Indian history and tradition. This has been demonstrated by the regular turnover of Peltier committee leadership and his dwindling support. As recent as a few days ago they were again begging for money to support their “meager resources.”
And, maybe not so coincidentally, there has never been an accounting for any of the money Peltier has collected or the sham of his alleged charitable activities.
Native Americans have witnessed that the disruption caused by AIM and Peltier’s actions did nothing to improve their condition and they have distanced themselves from him and that past. Peltier only hopes that the uninformed continue to cling to the myth, as well as the folklore built on a mountain of fabrications, lies and unsupported alibis.
It is not difficult to understand the basic facts and get beyond Peltier and his dwindling network’s (LPDOC) fairy tales when Peltier’s own words make his guilt unambiguous; “And really, if necessary, I’d do it all over again, because it was the right thing to do.” 

Perhaps, twelve years from now, in July 2024, at his next parole hearing, we can convince Peltier otherwise.
“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods