An Arizona Democrat is calling on the White House to pardon Native American activist Leonard Peltier.
US Representative Raul Grijalva, a democrat from Tucson, views this moment as Peltier’s last chance at freedom. He and 30 other congressional Democrats are calling on outgoing president Joe Biden to pardon Peltier.
“This effort is probably one of the few, if any left, in order to turn this around," Grijalva said.
Peltier is serving two life sentences for an incident that took place nearly 50 years ago that led to a shootout between American Indian Movement activists and two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation near Oglala.
In July of this year, the US Parole Commission denied Peltier release. He’s currently serving time at a federal prison in Florida.
In a letter to the parole commission, FBI director Christopher Wray said Peltier murdered the young agents in cold blood. He urged the commission “in the strongest terms possible” to deny Peltier’s parole.
Wray says he will step down as FBI director when the Biden administration ends in January.
Earlier this month, President Biden designated a national monument at the Carlisle Indian boarding school in Pennsylvania. This follows a formal apology by Biden in October, on behalf of the US Government, for the schools and policies that supported the boarding schools.
Peltier is seen as a symbol of racism and oppression against Native Americans by the US Criminal System. Some call him America’s longest serving political prisoner, who is also a boarding school survivor.
Representative Grijalva says Peltier’s release could add to Biden’s legacy.
“The legacy is to turn around something that fundamentally was wrong. The legacy is to place the issues of injustice and rights of indigenous people right at the center of the discussion. That continues to be the issue.
As of Friday, Representative Grijalva says he’s not heard from the White House about the letter.
Amnesty International calls Peltier’s continued incarceration a human rights travesty.
NDN Collective, an indigenous led organization located in Rapid City, said it has purchased a house for Peltier on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota, where Peltier is enrolled.
During Peltier's parole hearing, Nick Tilsen, president of the group, outlined Peltier’s reentry plan, including helping Peltier get signed up for programming services through IHS, community health as well as building a sweat lodge near the home.
