PELTIER: USDOJ PARDON ATTORNEY

March 29, 2015

Honorable Deborah Leff

Pardon Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, D.C., 20530-0001

 Re: Leonard Peltier

       Clemency matter

Dear Ms. Leff:

President Obama recently announced criteria for clemency considerations that included, nonviolent crimes, those who have already served long sentences and those who have shown that they have been rehabilitated.

Leonard Peltier meets but one of these. As of February this year he has served thirty-nine years for murder and aiding and abetting in the murder of FBI agents Jack R. Coler and Ronald A. Williams. Peltier is serving two consecutive life sentences for those crimes in addition to seven consecutive years for an armed escape from FCI Lompoc during which guards were shot at and one inmate was killed.

Has Peltier been rehabilitated?  No, as evidenced by his own public statements;

­ February 6, 2010, on the anniversary of his arrest in Canada, in a public, press-release statement, Peltier stated, "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." [i]

­ September 12, 2014, “I don’t regret any of this for a minute.” Peltier, in a public statement, made this admission and by using the pronoun “any,” without qualification, reservation, or exclusion, certainly includes the events of June 26, 1975 and the brutal murders of Special Agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams.[ii]

There is no uncertainty regarding how the shooting began around noon on the Jumping Bull property, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, June 26, 1975. We know precisely how it started from one of the victims. Agent Williams was overheard on the radio describing that they were about to take fire, the shooting began, his attempt to describe their location and when he was shot, probably for the first time.*

To demonstrate just a sample of Peltier’s disregard for the law and his criminal acts:

­ The agents were first attacked and severely wounded and then executed with point-blank shots to the face, killing them instantly and obliterating their faces. Peltier’s reaction to this, while American Indian Movement (AIM) members were stealing their weapons, is very telling. One accomplice, Joe Stuntz, took agent Coler’s FBI raid jacket from the trunk of the Bureau vehicle and put it on. “I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and he gave me a smile.”[iii]  A smile, while two dead and mutilated human beings lay at their feet. Stuntz was killed later that day while shooting at responding law enforcement officers. He was wearing agent Coler’s FBI jacket.

­ During Peltier’s escape with other AIM members from Pine Ridge, he bragged about what happened at the agent’s vehicles. This came out in sworn testimony in trials in 2004 of Arlo Looking Cloud and 2010 of John Graham for the murder of AIM member Anna Mae Aquash; “He (Peltier) said the (Obscene Expletive) was begging for his life, but I shot him anyway.” [iv]

Was Peltier lawfully extradited from Canada?

In an October 12, 1999 letter from the Canadian Minister of Justice to then U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno, the Minister stated: “As I indicated above, I have concluded that Mr. Peltier was lawfully extradited to the United States. In my opinion, given the test for committal for extradition referred to above, constituted sufficient evidence to justify Mr. Peltier’s committal on the two murder charges.” [v]

Did Peltier receive a fair trial?

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Gerald Heaney, who later wrote an impassioned letter on Peltier’s behalf, but who had twice denied Peltier’s appeals based on the law, was asked, during a pathetically inadequate and unprofessional 1992, 60-Minutes segment, whether Peltier received a fair trial. Judge Heaney replied, “I believe he got a fair trial. Not a perfect trial, but a fair trial.”[vi]

Please find enclosed, “A Concise History of Guilt,” including sixty footnotes reviewing Peltier’s conviction and numerous appeals. The legal history of the Peltier matter has undergone intense scrutiny, has never been altered, and established his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

An innocent person would have no difficulty consistently repeating the actual facts. Peltier has changed his version of the events many times. An innocent person would not have offered varying and conflicting alibis, all of which have been proven false.[vii]

Peltier’s ingratitude is also documented. When President Clinton did not grant him clemency, Peltier referred to the President as a “sleazebag.” [viii]

What Peltier and his avid supporters are trying to do is change the narrative.

They attempt to distract and divert attention away from Peltier’s criminal acts of June 26, 1975 and in some perverse way try to make him into what he is not; a martyr, or better yet for them, a political prisoner. Over these years they have created myths and folklore that are far removed from the facts. Peltier has claimed that he acted that day for his people; a disgraceful distortion and denigration of an otherwise proud Native American heritage. Peltier has sullied that proud history for his personal, pathetic and selfish ends. Peltier has also used those sympathies to illegally garner financial support, the proceeds of which are part of an elaborate sham and never divulged to the unsuspecting and uninformed sympathizers.[ix]

Peltier’s release would send the wrong message; that the killing of law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties, is acceptable.

There, no doubt, may be Native American inmates who are deserving of review for leniency. However, Leonard Peltier is the last person who can atone for any historical injustices toward Native Americans.

The President should show Peltier as much mercy as Peltier gave to FBI Agents Coler and Williams as in his own words, he “shot him anyway;” and that would be none.

Respectfully, Peltier should not be recommended for clemency consideration. Thank you for your time and attention in this extremely important matter.

Sincerely,

Edw. Woods 

Edward Woods

justice@noparolepeltier.com

(Enclosure 1)    

cc:

1-Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, 3717 Fettler Park Dr., Dumfries, VA.22025

1-FBI Agents Association, P.O. Box 320215, Alexandria, VA 22320

1-FBI, Director, James B. Comey, 935 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

1-Former FBI Director, Louis Freeh, Freeh Group International, 3711 Kennett Pike, Suite 130, Wilmington, DE 19807

1-Hon. John Barrasso, U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, 838 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

1-Hon. Timothy Q. Purdon, U.S. Attorney, District of North Dakota, 655 First Ave. North, Suite 250, Fargo, ND 58102-4932

1- Hon. Randolph J. Seiler, Acting U.S. Attorney, District of South Dakota, P.O. Box 2638, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-2638

1-Leonard Peltier, #89637-132, P.O. Box 1033, USP Coleman 1, Coleman, FL 33521


[i] The entire statement can be seen here; http://noparolepeltier.com/confession.pdf

(Last accessed 3/16/15)

[ii] In order to place this admission in its proper context, Peltier, on September 12, 2014, made a public statement on his 70^th birthday and clarified that “I am very proud to have fought what we call ‘the good fight’ for our future generations.” Peltier stipulates that this has been the case “…since day one to now almost 40 years later.” Viewing his “I don’t regret any of it for one minute,” statement without qualification and referencing forty years ago, and not excluding any of the events, particularly those at Pine Ridge, this admission of guilt, by a clear inference, must include his actions on June 26, 1975 and the brutal slaying of FBI agents Coler and Williams. The entire 9/12/14 public statement can be seen here: http://freepeltiernow.blogspot.com/2014/09/12-september-2014-statement-from.html (last accessed 3/26/15) For a further review of this statement, please see http://wwwnoparolepeltiercom-justice.blogspot.com/2014/09/peltier-update-broken-record-with.html (last accessed 3/26/15)

[iii] Peter Matthiessen, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (New York: Penguin Books, 1991) 552. A direct quote from Peltier to biographer Matthiessen.

[iv] Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash was an AIM member suspected of being an informant. On orders of AIM leadership she was kidnapped, raped, murdered and dumped in a ravine on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Sworn testimony at both trials attested to Peltier’s description of the murder of Agent Williams. http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#paroledenied see footnote 5. http://www.jfamr.org/doc/kmtest1.html testimony of Darlene Nichols, 2/3/04 (Last accessed 3/29/15).

[v] Canadian Minister of Justice letter: http://www.noparolepeltier.com/canadaletter.html

[vi] http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc9ofu_leonard-peltier-with-steve-kroft_news (A fatally flawed segment, however, presents Judge Heaney’s definitive statement. Last accessed 3/29/15.) This segment airs one of the longest standing lies from Peltier, the totally disproven alibi that someone else “Mr. X” killed the agents and drove off in the infamous red pickup. See http://www.noparolepeltier.com/lie.html for additional details regarding “Mr. X.” Further discussion regarding Judge Heaney at http://wwwnoparolepeltiercom-justice.blogspot.com/2014/12/peltier-we-will-too.html

[vii] See Section 16 “Alibi’s” of the enclosed, A Concise History of Guilt. Also available at, http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#critical

[viii] http://www.noparolepeltier.com/speak.html

[ix] Please see, http://noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#fraud for additional details regarding false claims of charitable activities, recognition, and fraudulent fundraising.

PELTIER: A LIAR'S PATHOLOGY

Dear Supporters:

Reblogged from Rezinate:

https://rezinate.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/pathology-of-a-liar-redux/

"In the Spirit of Coler and Williams
Ed W.

As can be seen I originally blogged this in Feburary of ’13 and not much has changed. Peltier remains a pathological liar and hive members continue to ignore the facts and insist he is a martyr.

There’s an incremental diluting of the reasons to free him though – the emphasis is no longer that he is innocent, or that “X” did it, both claims proven to be unsustainable, now it is about  Peltier is old and on the verge of falling and not being able to get  up.

My response to that is others fell as the result of a bullet and they haven’t been able to get up for decades – no clemency, pardon, or “humanitarian” gesture is possible for them.

One could say they are in a sense political prisoners confined to a grave, the result of the politics of AIM – more specifically those of  it’s leadership.

A leadership that consisted of Dennis Banks, Russell Means, Clyde and Vernon Bellecourt, Carter Camp, and Leonard Crow Dog, plus an assortment of second tier flunkies.

All qualifying as “tugs” and “mad dog killers” as Peltier would put it.

Peltier is leaving himself an out, he’s steadfastly declared he would do it all again, but also would admit his role if “his” chiefs and elders told him so.

How convenient – admit the truth but portray it as questionable and only under advisement.

I can’t help but wonder who exactly are Peltier’s chiefs and elders?

Are they to be found in the AIM hierarchy? If so I’m kind of doubting they would risk opening such a can of worms, it could lead to a prisoner exchange – Peltier walks out and they walk in.

No, Peltier serves them best behind bars – as long as he remains there he is a red herring they can toss out to deflect attention away from themselves.

An added bonus is the possibility of a little revenue at times he can generate for them employing vehicles like the “walks” and “tribunals”.

Without Peltier they might have to contend with the murders of Annie Mae, Ray Robinson and his co-victims of WK2….and that’s the last thing they want.

Dino Butler was the first to go on record about “X”, he went so far as to characterize it as an effort to keep Peltier behind bars.

Yet inspite of this early admission the story was cultivated for years by “celebrities” and hapless supporters.

Who knows, maybe this dovetails with my contention that despite all the hoopla the leadership believes he actually does serve them better behind bars.

There are multiple genres in the film industry, from fantasy to action and even documentaries. A documentary, that was the way Incident at Oglala was promoted by Robert Redford.

A fact based recounting of the truth and events – problem is “X” was included for dramatic value and to raise doubts. I think it reasonable to assume some flagrant error, such a complete hoodwinking, would prompt a mea culpa from producers to narrator – yet that hasn’t happened, not so much as a whisper or rumor of remorse, nor admission of having been duped.

Maybe these documentarians and producers believe they’re too important, too big to fail to even consider such a thing …..if that’s the case no one should believe a damn thing they have to say about anything.

PATHOLOGY OF A LIAR
Posted by rezinate on February 16, 2013

https://rezinate.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/pathology-of-a-liar/

February 6, 1976

When Leonard Peltier was arrested in Alberta, Canada, he said that the FBI agents “who had come to arrest HIM” at Pine Ridge for jumping bail on a Wisconsin attempted murder indictment deserved to die. (They hadn’t some to arrest him, and didn’t even know he was there).

He also said if he had known the RCMP were coming to arrest him (they walked into the bedroom where he was still sleeping, and woke him up), he would have shot them “out of their shoes.”

Because the admissions, including the statement that he knew who executed the FBI agents, were made without an attorney present, they couldn’t be introduced as evidence at his trial. However, both statements were considered in his sentencing and subsequent parole hearings.

The above a copy paste from the Leonard Peltier Still Guilty- it speaks to a number of things. One being Peltier’s thug attitude, another being when Creator was passing out brains and Peltier was asked if he wanted one he thought the word was trains and said he would catch a later one.

Peltier’s good fortune that his statements couldn’t be introduced into evidence, but as is said they have a direct influence on his parole status.

Peltier, like all all thugs and wannabe tough guys wants to be seen as someone not to fool with, a dangerous person when it comes down to it-so he’s compelled by that and his own ignorance to make such statements-to boast in front of women about shooting people, or brag about being a “hero”, “warrior” and “laying down fire” at agents Williams and Coler as his own words state in the Just For Discussion blogs.

None of which adds any credibility to his claim that he is a political prisoner, that’s just an affected persona-kind of like the warrior, hero thing.

It’s also intended to divert attention from the troublesome comments he’s made, the lies he’s been caught in, and the fact that despite every effort to remediate his sentence Peltier and his team have laid an egg.

Doesn’t stop the propaganda though, or attempts to continue milking the cash cow that Peltier has become- but as awareness grows, so does a predictable contempt resulting from an increasing familiarity with the truth.

Peltier would have one and all believe he’s going down swinging-truth is he’s just down period-he’s tried desperately to cast himself as one of the big dogs, but the reality is the only place for him is on the porch, or more appropriately as is the case his prison cell.

We are told now that Peltier’s current legal team are Bravado Boys from Buffalo- I don’t know about all that, but bravado has been a mainstay of the act Peltier has engaged in.

For his legal team to admit that the Mr. X mystery shooter was concocted sounds more like a whimper to me than bravado-but then there probably wasn’t much choice as the lie had been thoroughly discredited for years.

This being the case something new, something immediate had to be presented to fill the void that was created, divert attention, and hopefully not allow people the time to actually think and say -Hey, wait a minute, X is a lie? Then what else have they been lying about?

No that wouldn’t do at all-but one thing for sure, LPDOC knows their audience and how to play them. And dropping the Mr.X bomb was like the Friday night weekend White House news drop-the intent,the hope is, that in being the weekend people will be distracted while engaging in other things.

The example of this diversion? Frank DeLuca/Blackhorse and now Theda Nelson Clark-the timing of these hoped for distractions immediate in nature, and necessary.

That isn’t to say though neither should be looked at, and both for a multitude of reasons should be-among those reasons would be Theda’s role in the abduction murder of Annie and DeLuca’s homeboy status with Peltier and eerily comparable history one might liken to Dave Hill’s-you know that not going to be prosecuted for services rendered, the good of the public, etc etc.

That could also explain the reason why those AIM leader “patriots” seem to avoid prosecution, so maybe the same look, the same interest given to DeLuca and Clark should be given to them as well. But that’s apparently too much to hope for.

This Friday night drive by news drop worked to a degree though as we haven’t seen it picked up by the mainstream media, or journalists like Rickert. Now If I were a journalist, especially one of ours, this admittal would have been front page news for me, and I would have been in LPDOCs face about it- I would have emblazoned it across the front page in bold type challenging people to think about it and consider the implications.

But I’m not a journalist, and make no claim or pretense that I am, so I just do what others do, peck away at the keyboard pointing out what I believe to be flagrantly obvious and in doing so know that some will agree while others will not.

There’s a Shakespearian quote as follows:

“Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?”

I don’t consider myself noble in any sense of the word-I consider the truth to be, and I believe there is a great ignobility in the way AIM and the Peltierites have gone about attempting to bury it-such efforts should be seen for the sea of troubles they’ve created and opposed.

Having once been a Peltier supporter I know the mechanics of their denials, the lengths they will go to deny a truth and create or support a lie.They’ll throw anything and everything against the wall hoping something will stick while they apply liberal coats of Teflon to their boy.

He’s not a “tug”, not ” a mad dog killer”- he’s a “political prisoner” whose been “wronged”, because as they would have you believe he wasn’t just a “dumb as dirt” low level grunt, he was a “leader” of AIM, respected by one and all, and whose opinion was not only highly regarded but sought after.

He personally presented some huge threat to the U.S., to it’s very continuation and existence-a prophet and seer come to free the nations-a regular Wovoka with a variation-his dance included sticking a gun in a woman’s mouth to interrogate her, shooting mortally wounded men in the face at pointblank range, and not hesitating to run and abandon women, pregnant or not, than to face the music he had created.

A real role model huh, somebody you’d want your children to grow up like? In furtherance of that be sure to send some money to his “bravado” fund.

“Especially in this system, I can’t tell the system I was shooting at their police officers that WERE TRYING TO ARREST ME. They’ll hold that against me. I’VE GOT BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT STUFF. ( Caps mine).

Yet Peltier has said he wasn’t shooting at them-that “nobody was shot, hit, hurt, killed”, in the direction he was shooting-he has also gone on to say he was “laying down fire”.

“I think it was around that December when I heard that Anna Mae was dead. I was in that jail over there in Canada right around whenever they exposed who she really was and what she died from, but I believe I didn’t hear about it until December. When people say that she tried to contact me, that’s a lie. If she’d have tried to contact me then she would have been with me, and there’s no doubt in my mind because the Indian people knew where I was; certain people knew where I was at. “

The problem with this statement is that he wasn’t in jail in Canada until February of the following year-1976. And by his own admission that he was in and out of the country the question arises was he around in December of ’75? And if so what was he doing and who was he in contact with?

He doesn’t seem to know which side to come down on- as though confused by Trudell’s statement that Banks told him prior to Annie’s body being identified that it was her, and the Banks line of he neither knows or ever knew anything about anything related to her murder. Lends credibility to the dumb as dirt moniker.

More than obvious Peltier is an inveterate liar, a pathological one incapable of even keeping the lies straight. It’s as though this liars pathology were a contagion, as it apparently infected the entire AIM leadership, a large number of their supporters, the Peltierites, and LPDOC itself.

The truth is the cure for that, but a vaccine many refuse to avail themselves of, depending instead on those “natural” remedies offered at the AIM LPDOC clinic

PELTIER: HORRIBLE PARENTS

HORRIBLE PARENTS:

AND WHAT THEY TEACH THEIR CHILDREN

“We Will Too” Part Two

Dear Supporters:

The December 15, 2014* NPPA Blog editorialized the “I Will” Clemency Campaign, YouTube video (Footnote 1) describing that the participants are being scammed by the Peltier myth and supporting the disproven folklore by participating in a process that is all passion with no substance. All the supporters are either blind to Peltier’s guilt or clueless about the facts, or, if they do understand what actually happened, could care less, which is even worse (Fn.2).

However, even if we do accept that at least the Native American children being used as sympathetic props have a vested interest in their own history, shame on those adults and parents who pushed their smiling faces into the camera to support cold-blooded murder.

The most offensive segment of the video comes at two minutes and fifty-three seconds when the handsome, smiling, white couple, holding their beautiful young daughter, proclaim, in unison, “We will” (Fn.3)

If we had the parents’ names, they would be identified here.

However, let’s give their daughter a name; let’s call her, “Annie.”

Annie, in memory of Anna Mae Aquash who had a gun stuck in her mouth by Leonard Peltier trying to force her to admit she was an FBI informant. She did not admit it. History proved she was not. Anna Mae, during their escape from Pine Ridge after the agents’ murders was unfortunate enough to have heard, along with others, Peltier’s confession that he killed the agents; “The M’Fer begged for his life, but I shot him anyway” (Fn.4). However, that didn’t deter the American Indian Movement (AIM) leadership from believing otherwise that Anna Mae was an informant—and at that point—she knew too much. It is strongly speculated that Peltier, in order to protect himself, certainly acquiesced to the final decision. Anna Mae was kidnapped, (concurrent with the assistance and knowledge of AIM attorney, Bruce Ellison), raped, shot in the head and dumped in a ravine on the Reservation. The nobility of AIM is almost as great a fallacy as Peltier’s, and using his own self-descriptor, being a brave warrior (Fn.5). Nonsense to both.

So, this white couple, for now lets call them, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, who have no apparent personal investment in Native American history are showing the world what truly horrible parents they are. Their parenting skills are not just absent, they are destructive.

This is the lesson young Annie is beginning to learn and will, no doubt, grow up with:

— Annie, it’s OK to express your anger and dissatisfaction with a situation involving law enforcement officials and to shoot them, whether or not they are in a position to defend themselves.

— Annie, we, your parents, want you to understand that it isn’t important to know the facts and the truth of a situation before you speak-up about something you feel is an injustice.

— Annie, we want you to follow us, and our beliefs. We don’t want you to be able to thoughtfully analyze an important issue and come to an informed decision based on the truth and facts, but instead, just go with the emotions that we’re imparting to you.

— Annie, in a situation where police officers, or in this instance, FBI agents, are mortally wounded, it’s permissible to shoot them in the face, instantly killing them. Understand, as Leonard taught us; dead men make poor witnesses.

— Annie, it’s really all right, if after you murder two human beings, in this case, federal agents, to steal their weapons, make an escape and later claim that you were brave and did it for ‘your people.’

— Annie, it’s certainly permissible to have sympathy for the First Americans by lionizing someone who has hijacked that storied heritage for his own fraudulent and twisted benefit. Really, it’s OK that Leonard did that.

— Annie, when someone has admitted that he has absolutely no remorse for killing two human beings, and has said publically “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.” And, “I don’t regret any of this for a minute,” your mother and I are telling you that this is acceptable behavior. That’s right, Annie, no matter how vile and criminal someone’s actions may be, it doesn’t matter at all whether they have the least bit of remorse or conscience. Society’s mores just don’t matter to you or us as long as it makes us feel better (Fn.6).

— Annie, just so you know, those FBI agents who were murdered, their names were Jack Coler and Ron Williams by the way, had families of their own. Matter of fact, Jack had two young sons; they were one and a half and three, close to your age now. Those two children grew up never knowing their own father. But, sweetie, it doesn’t matter that much because it’s been nearly forty years and those boys are all grown up now anyway. Besides, Leonard has been in jail for thirty-nine years and that’s long enough. You see he is a Native American and because America treated the First Americans so badly, you, your father, and I, must ignore and forget what Leonard did.

— Annie, what may be fun for us to do, if Leonard gets out he will no doubt be asked to speak about his long incarceration and we’ll gladly pay to hear him. Maybe we can get him to autograph his book for you. See, sweetie, it will be just fine for Leonard to tell the fables we have accepted and make money from the murder of those two young men. After all, honey, that’s what free speech is all about, and what’s wrong with a little capitalism along the way and Leonard makes some money in the process.

— Annie, you have to understand that the FBI says Leonard has told many lies, changed his version of what happened that day on the Reservation and has made self-incriminating public statements that prove his guilt beyond all doubt. (Sweetie, “self-incriminating” means that Leonard has said things to many other people that prove he is guilty and did kill those two FBI agents.) We know he has said those things and that many judges reviewed his case, but we don’t care. He’s a poor persecuted Indian and we have to forget all that and just support him. That would make us, and you, feel much better. Then we don’t have to worry about that white-man’s guilt stuff because we helped a convicted murderer go free.

* * *

Mr. and Mrs. Jones are guilty of the worst kind of child abuse; emotional abuse of their little Annie by fostering a pattern of behavior that will seriously interfere or completely destroy her cognitive, emotional, psychological and social development. They are engaged in emotional child manipulation by exploiting and corrupting, where the child is being taught, encouraged, or maybe even forced to develop inappropriate or illegal behavior. They are laying the groundwork for future destructive or antisocial acts and that criminal behavior—in this instance cold-blooded murder—is socially acceptable and that she should laud and celebrate a killer.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones need some serious education on the realities and facts of the Incident at Oglala along with some intense counseling on how to intelligently and responsibly raise a thoughtful and socially balanced child.

So far, they are doing a horrible job**.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”

Ed Woods

* December 15, coincidentally the 14^th anniversary of the dignified procession to the White House: see paragraph #59 http://www.noparolepeltier.com/pine.html and for more details http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#1

**aka Mr. and Mrs. Jones are welcomed, at any time, to contact justice@noparolepeltier.com to learn the truth about Peltier, his conviction, denied appeals and public statements. The challenge is there to go beyond the Peltier rhetoric and lies and understand that you are on a fool’s errand. Leonard Peltier is the last Indian to assuage the treatment of First Americans…but you are too blind to see it. The challenge is given. Odds are, you have neither the courage of your convictions nor the intellect to seek the answers to the questions you’re really afraid to ask. So, no, like other Peltierites, I don’t expect to hear from either of you. It wouldn’t fit the liberal Peltier narrative.

Footnotes:

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBPfEHhFJ-0

2) Weslie Studie, Jackson Browne, Carlos Santana, Sheila Tousey, Tom Morello, Peter Gabriel, Thomas Poor Bear, Peter Coyote, Harry Belafonte, Michael Moore, Pamela Anderson, Nelson Mandella, Robert Redford, Hanoi Jane, aka Mr. & Mrs. Jones,

ET. AL.

3) “Mr. Jones” appears with his daughter at 3:03, “Mrs. Jones” appears also at 3:42.

4) http://wwwnoparolepeltiercom-justice.blogspot.com/2015/02/peltier-i-am-reporter.html

5) Regarding Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash: http://www.americanindianmafia.com/audio/GunInHerMouthReMix.wmv

Regarding AIM attorney Bruce Ellison:

https://rezinate.wordpress.com/tag/bruce-ellison/

6) http://wwwnoparolepeltiercom-justice.blogspot.com/2015/02/peltier-i-am-reporter.html

https://rezinate.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/justice-for-leonard-peltier/

PELTIER: "I am a reporter...

…for the Watertown Public Opinion in Watertown, South Dakota.” read the email received on January 30, 2015 from, Jennifer Thomas, Special Feature Reporter, (jenniferthomas@thepublicopinion.com) that continued with;

“I am currently working on a story regarding Leonard Peltier and his supporters' current calls for amnesty. I have received statements and interview commitments from Friends of Peltier and Amnesty International Reps, but would like to fairly report on all sides, offering readers enough information to form their own opinion on the case.  The article is currently scheduled to run next week marking the anniversary of his arrest and subsequent extradition from Canada. Is there any way I could receive a statement on the case from a representative of your organization or arrange for a brief phone interview?” 

I politely declined the phone interview but provided a couple of links for reference and an offer to answer any questions, provide additional references, and pointed out that there was a lot of folklore surrounding the Peltier matter, but that the facts are out there.

There was no reply but I did follow up with two more emails and several more references on Peltier issues making the point that without specific details readers would not be able to make an informed decision regarding Peltier’s guilt. I pointed out the recorded fabrications (lies), on film, in Redford’s, Incident at Oglala, from Bob Robideau and Peltier himself, a YouTube compilation of Peltier’s ever-changing version of the facts and his inability to provide consistent answers to very simple questions. I sent a link to the letter from the Canadian Government that put to rest Peltier’s claims of an unlawful extradition.

I did receive a reply on February 2^nd from Ms. Thomas thanking me for my time and information and that it would be useful in writing her article.

At that point I believed that if she had explored the NPPA website and reviewed the material I’d forwarded, that perhaps she would write a balanced article that would “fairly report on all sides.”

I did though find it unusual, considering, not a complicated case but one with a long history, that she didn’t have at least one follow-up question.

The article “Special Report: Leonard Peltier at 70,” appeared several days later and was far less than expected, and a disappointment. It rehashed points that would have been easily disproven, and, in sum, portrayed Peltier as a victim and a martyr, adding as well, insult to injury, claiming Peltier’s alleged humanitarian efforts (a complete and provable sham*), and also lamenting his age and poor health**.

Jack Coler and Ron Williams, given the option, would willingly trade Peltier’s infirmities for the cold-blooded deaths they suffered in 1975.

I contacted the editor, Roger Whittle (rogerwhitle@thepublicopinion.com) for an opportunity of a rebuttal. He then provided the Letter-to-the-Editor policy, one of which was that it had to be 300 words or less. Easier said than done.

I sat down and within about fifteen minutes typed what I considered a concise reply to Ms. Thomas’s special report, until I realized it exceeded 600 words.

Some seventy-plus editorial essays, nearly fifteen years of involvement honoring the sacrifice of two young FBI agents, dealing with all manner of attacks, a law suit, threats of lawsuits and outrageous slander from Peltier fringe elements, and to say it all in 300 words seemed impossible. Over two hours later, after a series of what felt like endless edits, the response was finished and forwarded to Mr. Whittle, who replied and said it would be printed in Saturday’s, 2/14/15, edition***.

* * *

Letter to the Editor, The Public Opinion, February 11, 2015

Response to “Special Report: Leonard Peltier at 70”

Unfortunately, The Public Opinion (TPO) article was factually inaccurate and regretfully repeated many issues that have long been discredited. The answers to those lingering allegations are available at www.noparolepeltier.com

A truly innocent person would have no difficulty reciting the facts, yet Peltier’s versions have changed repeatedly.

Peltier’s own public statements have proven his guilt beyond all doubt:

“I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and he gave me a smile.” (ITSOCH p.552) With two dead and mutilated agents at their feet Peltier and the others steal their weapons. The “Joe,” was Joe Stuntz, who was killed that day as he and others fired upon responding law enforcement. There was an investigation and it was a justifiable shooting. Simple premise, shoot at police and they’re going to shoot back.

During Peltier’s escape with other AIM members from Pine Ridge he bragged about what happened at the agent’s vehicles. This came out in sworn testimony at another murder trial in 2004; “He (Peltier) said the (Obscene Expletive) was begging for his life, but I shot him anyway.” The TPO article failed to paint a fair picture of the devastation wrought by AIM.

"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." (2/6/10) Two wounded, then brutally slain agents. Peltier is both unrepentant and remorseless.

“I don’t regret any of this for a minute.” (8/28/14) No regrets?

The only thing Peltier has is to keep the myth alive, and unfortunately the TPO article just perpetuates the folklore and failed to provide concrete solutions upon which readers can make informed judgments.

* * *

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”

Ed Woods

* http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#fraud

** A hard copy of the article, along with the initial email to Ms. Thomas and Mr. Whittle, was sent to Peltier at USP Coleman, as are all updates and blogs from the No Parole Peltier Association. This has been standard practice for over a decade when it became apparent that Peltier’s network leadership, which has changed a number of times, was not sharing everything with him, specifically, the criticisms and attacks on his feigned and alleged innocence and destroying the myth and folklore: In other words, the truth. Also included with each mailing is an autographed copy of Peltier’s FBI wanted poster. Autographed by me, as promised years ago, to dispel the myth that the aiding and abetting charge against Peltier was somehow magically, and later, inserted into the case. Highlighted with a yellow marker on FBI Identification Order #4681 is the date of “November 25, 1975” and, “charging Peltier with murder – first degree, killing two Federal Officers in the performance of their duties and aiding and abetting.” Also highlighted in yellow are two of Peltier’s known aliases, John Yellow Robe, and Leonard Williams; the irony not being missed either by Peltier or anyone paying even the slightest attention.

*** The letter may have appeared in TPO, but I haven’t seen it and perhaps it doesn’t matter all that much. Not certain what kind of attention TPO gets and would imagine that most in South Dakota, whether Native American or not, have already made up their minds, one way or the other, regarding the American Indian Movement and Leonard Peltier. This blog will be posted and also forwarded to right around 5,000 recipients, so at least the response to Ms. Thomas’s “Special Report” will get some attention.

PELTIERITES: WOW HARVEY! Just One Question...

Dear Supporters:

Harvey Arden has been an ardent (no pun intended), almost militant supporter of Peltier for many years. Helping Peltier with “Prison Writings,” the cover of which states, “Edited by Harvey Arden.” He continues to speak out to whomever will listen with his belief in Peltier’s alleged “wrongful conviction.” A conviction he believes is based on centuries of Indian persecution and contrived criminal charges. Harvey has written other books helping recognize and preserve Indigenous cultures worldwide. I have one of his books “Wisdom Keepers,” a gift from Harvey with the inscription “To Ed Woods, on behalf of Leonard Peltier. There’s no greater love than hatred that turns to love. With respect, Harvey Arden.”

There is no doubt that Harvey is a good man, heartfelt and well meaning. We have exchanged emails over the years and they have all been civil and thoughtful and we almost got together for lunch one day several years ago. I’m sure meeting with him and talking just about anything but Leonard Peltier would be a pleasant experience. I suspect, regretfully though, that Harvey has gone-around-the-bend, so to speak, as he rails against the government as “criminal overlords” and can be counted among the “9/11 Truthers.”

Recently, in December 2014, Harvey queried the Innocence Project about looking into the Peltier case where he stated that “(Peltier’s) 1977 trial was a total sham.” They responded that they rely on DNA evidence for their projects.

Harvey, in an exchange with rabid Peltierite (Peltierite, a term borrowed from the Rezinate Blog), Delaney Bruce (Delaney_bruce@hotmail.com) summed up his angst with:

            They can easily change that regulation about “only-DNA” - - What if the INNOCENCE PROJECT actually lived up to its name by saving a man absolutely known to be INNOCENT! Even DNA might well be involved. Who was IN that red truck, for instance. Was it swabbed for DNA evidence…or anything else among hundreds of possibilities at the Jumping Bulls’ property? Too bad INNOCENCE ITSELF is beyond the purview of the “INNOCENCE PROJECT.’ (Email as originally sent; no emphasis added.)

Red Truck? Really Harvey, in December 2014, you’re still yakking about the infamous red pickup?

Has Harvey not paid the slightest attention to anything but the myth and folklore that he certainly helped create? Do the admissions from Peltier and others not matter at all from the original false narrative Peltierites have labored with over these past four* decades? From Peltier’s own statements, Dino Butler saying the whole Mr. X thing was a lie, the LPDC backing away from that fable and one of his own attorneys admitting “…the Mr. X story was concocted.” The examples are far too lengthy to mention here but are intimately detailed in the link below (Footnote 1).

Missing from that list is now perhaps the most significant blunder and burning evidence of the fabrication from none other than Harvey himself.

One question Harvey: Since Peltier’s Prison Writings, was “Edited by Harvey Arden.” Yes, you were the editor…then:

Why is there no mention of Mr. X or the red pickup in the book?

An oversight? An honest error while formatting? Hardly, but instead a deliberate act to hide the lie. Do you and other Peltierites really believe that omitting Peltier’s only alibi (that someone else who they all knew killed the agents), a deceit perpetuated for nearly two decades would simply disappear, or be forgotten in the fog of all the other fabrications of folklore and myth? Not likely.

As difficult as it may be, Harvey, and Delaney and any of the others who remain, recognize one thing; if nothing else, people have seen Peltier for what he really is. Add in all the abuses of AIM, the greed and self-indulgence of AIM leadership, the bodies yet to be uncovered at Wounded Knee II, Peltier’s pandering for money that isn’t showing up and especially those who have recognized that what happened at Jumping Bull had nothing to do with Native America, except for the perversion of a proud heritage by Peltier and the other AIM cowards that day. Peltier’s years of fabrications, riddled with contradictions apparently bother his followers little, if at all.

Peltier’s fortunes have passed. Supporters have dried up (witnessed by the failed and pathetic fundraiser last year) and the President too recognizes the last thing Peltier deserves is any consideration for his crimes.

Neither clemency nor Peltier can stand on the mountain of lies he has created.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams” (Fn.2)

Ed Woods

Postscript:

Hatred? Harvey is mistaken. He, of all people, should recognize passion when he sees it. I’ll repeat what I have many times; I don’t hate Leonard Peltier. I will admit that I had an incredibly strong dislike (yes, perhaps even hatred) for Bob Robideau. He was a worthless human being, a disgusting and loathing creature who slithered from the AIM cesspool. I felt that first-hand having to sit in the same room in New York City with him and other equally disturbed far-left loons of the Jericho Movement. (http://www.noparolepeltier.com/debate.html#Robideau-NYC) I don’t hate Peltier, but will continue the passion to honor the memory and sacrifice of Jack Coler and Ron Williams and doing all that’s necessary to ensure justice continues and Peltier serves his remaining days at FCI Coleman.

Footnotes:

1) Uncovering the history of the lie of Mr. X and the infamous red pickup:

http://www.noparolepeltier.com/lie.html

2) Meet Jack Coler and Ron Williams; the victims of an unrepentant, cold-blooded, and cowardly murderer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozhEumzwgKA

*More precisely 39 years since his arrest by the RCMP on February 6, 1976.

Rest In Peace; Part II

Dear Supporters:

While researching and writing the Blog recognizing Jack Coler’s January 12, 1947 birthday, I came across a disturbing video that had painful similarities to June 26, 1975 and the Jumping Bull property, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota.

Born within days of the Incident at Oglala, Kyle Dinkheller would later begin a career in law enforcement.

On January 12, 1998, twenty-two year old Laurens County Deputy Sheriff, Dinkheller, on a rural Georgia road, pulled over a pickup truck doing 98 miles an hour driven by 51 year old, Vietnam veteran, Andrew Howard Brannan.

The traffic stop quickly escalated with Brannan’s bizarre and aggressive behavior and responses to the Deputy’s commands. A scuffle ensued resulting in Brannan retrieving an M-1 carbine from his pickup and empting two magazines into the cruiser and killing Deputy Dinkheller. Brannan was wounded in the exchange, escaped, was arrested the following day, tried, convicted and sentence to death. His appeals were denied.

The entire horrifying event was captured on the cruiser’s video camera.

Brannan’s last recorded words with the final fatal shot to the deputy’s face was,
“Die-F'er.”

Leonard Peltier, along with other AIM members, fled Pine Ridge after the murders of Jack Coler and Ron Williams. During their escape Peltier bragged about the death of the agents. Years later at another murder trial, one of those overhearing Peltier’s confession testified and quoted him saying, “The m-f'er begged for his life but I shot him anyway.”

Justice remains for Jack Coler and Ron Williams as Leonard Peltier serves the remainder of his consecutive life sentences at the federal prison in Coleman, Florida, plus the additional seven consecutive years owed for his armed escape from Lompoc Penitentiary. There he will remain until the final judgment arrives.

Final justice for Deputy Dinkheller was reached seventeen years and a day after his execution, today, January 13, as Brannan was put to death by lethal injection.

Kyle Dinkheller left behind a two-year old daughter, and a pregnant wife who gave birth to their son in September 1998.

Our thoughts go out to Deputy Dinkheller’s family, friends and comrades in arms, especially now at a time when too many are critical of the danger and responsibilities faced daily by law enforcement throughout the country. May he rest in peace.

“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods

Postscript:

The Brannan case prompted considerably more research and sole searching. As jaded as I may be over the whole Peltier matter, at the moment it mattered little that Brannan was to be put to death. However, there is more to the story.

I have never been an advocate for the death penalty, one way or the other, perhaps for the wrong reasons. Death has its finality. A case in point is Timothy McVeigh who stopped his appeals and chose to go ahead with his execution. I don’t believe he did it for martyrdom for his white supremacist cause. No monuments have been erected in his memory by any hate groups. His choice was one of desperation. I believe that he could no longer stand the confinement of a concrete cell and took the easy way out.

I was troubled in 1998 (there’s that year again), when then Texas Governor, George W. Bush, (I believe wanting to show that he was tough on crime), didn’t intervene in the execution of Carla Faye Tucker. Studying her history, it was clear to me at least, that in some instances rehabilitation does work and matter. No one was asking for her release for her heinous crimes as a confused, drug addicted teen being misled by an older psychopath, but to spare her life to remain in prison where she had helped an untold number of inmates start on the right path. If there ever was a strong case for commutation, Tucker, in my judgment, was a classic example.

On Monday, January 12, Brannan was afforded a final appeal before the Parole Board which had the ability to commute his sentence to life without the possibility of parole. They were unsuccessful.

His attorney’s touched on the facts of his conviction noting mostly that his trial counsel failed to demonstrate his severely diminished mental state.

From the record, Brannan, more likely than not, had psychological issues prior to his tour in Vietnam, however, his service as an Army officer and artillery forward observer platoon leader is well documented. He was recognized for having served honorably and bravely in combat.

His life spiraled down post-Vietnam resulting in a diagnose of bi-polar disorder and PTSD so severe that he was classified as 100% disabled by the VA. With all his personal problems and total detachment from society there were no instances of criminal behavior, bizarre and inappropriate for certain, but nothing overtly violent until his fateful encounter with Deputy Dinkheller on that rural Georgia road.

No one is contesting the facts nor suggesting that Brannan do nothing more than remain in prison where prescribed medication keeps him under control.
The strongest argument, in my opinion, his attorneys made was quoting the U.S. Supreme Court for recognizing that our “…Nation has a long tradition of according leniency to veterans in recognition of their service, especially for those who fought on the front lines…”

Giving no solace to Kyle Dinkheller’s family and friends is their choice whether Brannon is put to death or never sees the light of day and will never be a threat to society. That conclusion is theirs and theirs alone.

Brannon’s heinous act, motivated by personal demons, is a far cry, however, from the cold-blooded murderer, Leonard Peltier.

It is more than significant to note that Brannon has never glorified his actions nor demeaned the loss of Kyle Dinkheller.

Peltier, on the other hand, daily, with each breath and every word, has persistently denigrated the memory and sacrifice of FBI Agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams. Peltier does so by playing the race card to the sympathies of the unknowing that in some bizarre fashion he is emblematic of the struggles of an otherwise proud and traditional Native American culture. In reality, he is a charlatan of the worst kind.

Had this discussion been about Peltier, rather than Brannan, the point would still be the same. At least Brannan’s mental state has some basis for understanding his actions that day. Peltier, on the other hand, demonstrates that he was the consummate coward and is where he belongs. Death for Brannon will not bring back Kyle, but commutation would have kept him confined where he needed to be.

Peltier, though, needs to be alive and facing concrete walls every minute of the days he has remaining. His freedom will not come at the end of a needle but feet first as the doors of Coleman open to let him out for the last time. 

SA Jack R. Coler; 1947-1975 Rest-in-Peace

Dear Supporters:

Husband, father, son, brother. Professional, dedicated, courageous. These are some of the things that come to mind when we remember Jack Coler. Others are partner, friend, and the unquestioned character traits of Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity. Jack left behind a loving widow and two young sons who may have only a faint memory of their devoted, caring and brave father.

On January 12, Jack would have reached his sixty-eighth birthday. There is no way of knowing what these last forty years of his life may have brought. But those who knew him could easily imagine a life rich in accomplishments and strong family ties. Perhaps retired from a long and productive Bureau career and with Jack’s commitment and dedication to law enforcement, he may have pursued another career as a Chief of Police. Or, with his sons and grandchildren continued his love of the outdoors with deeper adventures exploring remote wilderness areas.

All the potential enjoyment, happiness, successes and challenges of a life that was to be, however, was robbed from Jack, his family, and many friends by the Cowards of Jumping Bull on that agonizing and tragic day in 1975.

With certainty, Jack Coler knows that he can rest assured we will continue to honor his memory and sacrifice in the line-of-duty. That reverence and commitment has no expiration date. His memory will live on in every FBI Field Office in the country.

To see Jack as he was then, and to imagine meeting him today, please see the remarkable video produced by the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI available on YouTube. There, you will learn about the incredible Jack Coler and his equally brave and courageous partner, Ron Williams. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozhEumzwgKA

 “In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”

Ed Woods