To: Leonard Peltier Supporters

To: Leonard Peltier SupportersFrom: Leonard Peltier Defense CommitteeSubject: Article by Mike Tishio, Standard Journal, Lewisburg Pennsylvaniaby Mike TischioStaff writerLEWISBURG - Leonard Peltier, 62, a Native American activist, is incarceratedat the U.S. Penitentiary in Lewisburg serving two consecutive life sentencesfor murder. Two FBI agents, Ronald A. Williams and Jack R. Coler died in ashoot-out, and three men were tried, with Peltier being the only oneconvicted.On Saturday at the Lewisburg Hotel, Peltier attorneys and defense team satdown with several guests to detail their side of the story. CO-Director ofthe defense team, Robert Robideau, spoke about what he termed an "FBIconspiracy" and an ongoing strategy to keep Peltier imprisoned forever.Robideau never said Peltier didn't shoot anyone, but he did say that theFBI's version of the events that day is a lie. Robideau's proof - he wasthere.In 1975, on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Peltier was one of a group of NativeAmericans, and American Indian Movement (AIM) members at the Jumping BullRanch within the reservation. Following the incident Peltier, Robideau andDarelle "Dino" Butler were all tried for the killing of the FBI agents.Robideau and Butler were tried in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and found not-guiltyby a federal jury.Peltier, who fled to Canada, was extradited but arrived too late to be triedwith Butler and Robideau. A United State District Court in Fargo, NorthDakota found Peltier guilty of the murders of Williams and Coler. Robideauand the Peltier defense team contend that from the extradition on throughPeltier's trial and all his appeals, the FBI manipulated the trial location,withheld evidence and badgered witnesses into giving false testimony.Barry Bachrach, attorney for Peltier along with Michael Kuzma, said the plotagainst Peltier was summed up by a parole officer at a hearing in 1995.
responsible for the (FBI) deaths, and you\'ve been held liable." Bachrach andKuzma added that to date, no solid evidence has ever directly connectedPeltier to either death.Robideau spoke of an agency, the FBI, that regularly abused its power andauthority all the while trampling the rights of U.S. citizens, who happenedto be members of various dissident groups. "No one should be in prison forWilliams or Coler\'s deaths," said Robideau. "It was like a war zone thatday; many FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and local police officers wereshooting at the people in the ranch, and they shot back."Kuzma pointed out that both the 8th and 10th Circuit Court of Appeals foundproblems with the government\'s case against Peltier. "There is much evidencein this record of improper conduct on the part of some FBI agents," from aruling by the 8th Circuit Court in 1986. "Much of the governments behaviorat the Pine Ridge Reservation and in its prosecution of Mr. Peltier is to becondemned. The government withheld evidence. It intimidated witnesses. Thesefacts are not disputed," from a ruling by the 10th Circuit Court in 2003.Despite it all, Peltier remains in prison. As it stands now, two additionalsuits against the FBI are being filed on behalf of Peltier, according toKuzma. They will be argued this December. Peltier\'s defense is continuing topush for files on the case to be released. "They have withheld over 140,000files over the years, and now the government claims that to release theremaining evidence would put our country at risk from trans-nationalterrorists," said Kuzma.If the case gets to trial in December, the U.S. Penitentiary at Lewisburg,as well as the entire community could get national attention from anincident that occurred about 2,000 miles to the west, and over thirty years",1]
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Bachrach claimed the parole board member said that "someone has to beresponsible for the (FBI) deaths, and you've been held liable." Bachrach andKuzma added that to date, no solid evidence has ever directly connectedPeltier to either death.Robideau spoke of an agency, the FBI, that regularly abused its power andauthority all the while trampling the rights of U.S. citizens, who happenedto be members of various dissident groups. "No one should be in prison forWilliams or Coler's deaths," said Robideau. "It was like a war zone thatday; many FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and local police officers wereshooting at the people in the ranch, and they shot back."Kuzma pointed out that both the 8th and 10th Circuit Court of Appeals foundproblems with the government's case against Peltier. "There is much evidencein this record of improper conduct on the part of some FBI agents," from aruling by the 8th Circuit Court in 1986. "Much of the governments behaviorat the Pine Ridge Reservation and in its prosecution of Mr. Peltier is to becondemned. The government withheld evidence. It intimidated witnesses. Thesefacts are not disputed," from a ruling by the 10th Circuit Court in 2003.Despite it all, Peltier remains in prison. As it stands now, two additionalsuits against the FBI are being filed on behalf of Peltier, according toKuzma. They will be argued this December. Peltier's defense is continuing topush for files on the case to be released. "They have withheld over 140,000files over the years, and now the government claims that to release theremaining evidence would put our country at risk from trans-nationalterrorists," said Kuzma.If the case gets to trial in December, the U.S. Penitentiary at Lewisburg,as well as the entire community could get national attention from anincident that occurred about 2,000 miles to the west, and over thirty years
Mike TischioStandard Journal/ Lewisburg Pennsylvania---------------------------------------------------------------------To subscribe, send a blank message to lpdc-on@mail-list.comTo unsubscribe, send a blank message to lpdc-off@mail-list.comTo change your email address, send a message to lpdc-change@mail-list.com with your old address in the Subject: lineTo unsubscribe, click on the following web page.http://cgi.mail-list.com/u?ln\u003dlpdc&nm\u003dmarylougentry@gmail.comThis message was launched into cyberspace to marylougentry@gmail.com",0]
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ago.Mike TischioStandard Journal/ Lewisburg Pennsylvania