Saturday, March 21, 2020

PELTIER: HEALTH, PRISON & MORE

Dear Supporters:

As of late messages from Peltier and his Committee have been infrequent. Nonetheless, recent statements relate to Peltier’s health and conditions at USP Coleman. 

Peltier is complaining (again) about having to have a cellmate, as if he has forgotten that he is a lifer doing consecutive sentences. Peltier is not entitled to special treatment (Footnote 1).

Peltier expressed marginal gratitude that his “medicine bundle” was returned and for the “new Sweat Lodge” for himself and other Native American inmates “to practice our religion.”

This raises an important question: As Peltier practices his religion is there any element of spiritual atonement for the brutal slaying of two already wounded and defenseless human beings?

Because Peltier has relied on feigned innocence for so many years the question remains: What will come of the day when he finally meets his Creator? At some point in time—probably in the not too distant future, Leonard Peltier will know whether he will see the proverbial happy hunting grounds or be banished to the Indian equivalent of hell. Peltier may be capable of lying to himself and others, but to the Creator is a entirely different matter. Without sincere atonement for his crimes it will likely be the latter. 

Only assuming for the moment it may be true, Peltier did raise an important issue regarding “closing the Elder and Medical care unit” and moving those inmates into “general population.” Elderly inmates and those in poor health are at greater risk from other violent and younger inmates. Nevertheless, managing the prison is up to the warden, not Peltier.

According to one message Peltier suffers from “prostate issues, aortic aneurysm, extreme arthritis in his hip and knee as well as spots on his lung and kidney.” Peltier has to realize that these are predictable ailments of the aging process. One also has to wonder if Peltier ever considers that Jack Coler and Ron Williams would have been willing to face aging problems rather than be brutally slaughtered by the cowards at Jumping Bull

Peltier has complained for decades, as he continues to do now, that he wants to be transferred to a facility closer to his home turf so family members can more easily visit. As usual, Peltier ignores, or has forgotten, why he may have landed in Florida in the first place (Fn 2).

Without any hint of irony as a result of Peltier’s murderous actions, Jack and Ron are closerto their families. Both are buried in cemeteries in Los Angeles. 

One recent message directed supporters to Peltier’s website so they can read the trial transcript and documents regarding his extradition from Canada. 

It is futile for Peltier supporters to read the trial transcript because he will never be re-tried and the analysis of the testimony and evidence presented has been thoroughly vetted by Peltier’s own attorneys during a lengthy appellate process. Those many attorneys have made countless efforts to challenge the government’s case, all to no avail. Peltierites—if they are indeed capable, need to review the entire appellate history in order to thoroughly understand Peltier’s conviction (Fn. 3).

As for Peltier’s extradition, Canadian authorities have spoken the final words. “As I have indicated above, I have concluded that Mr. Peltier was lawfully extradited to the United States.” (A. Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice letter to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, 10/12/99 (Fn.  4).

Peltier advised that they are now selling “hoodies” “to help continue the building (sic) Leonard’s legal fund for the trial in Tacoma, WA in early fall…” (Fn. 5).

It is curious that there was no mention of donations or merchandise purchases—nor for that matter any current reference on Peltier’s website—of being tax-deductible after all the fanfare over becoming a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.* 
Wonder Why? (Fn. 6)

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

*Peltier’s March 18thmessage pushing for more money for his defense fund is raffling off, of all things, a satchel. But again, there is no mention that the proceeds would be tax-deductibleIt would be too much to expect Leonard to tell his supporters what actually happened. 

Footnotes:
3) Court and appellate decisions: decisions: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/court.html