Extremely Urgent Letter From Leonard Peltier's Sister
All my Relations,
Based on the information just received today I am asking all available allies and supporters of Leonard Peltier to join us in a 11 am rally/demonstration in San Francisco, at the Federal Building, corner of Mission Street and Seventh Street, across from the 9th District Federal Courthouse. The rally begins at 11 am until 1 pm. Bring drums and banners, anything else to make yourself visible!
We must demonstrate to expose the plot staged by the US government to harm Leonard Peltier, destroy his credibility, and any other attempt to a fair trial. An attack on Leonard Peltier is an attack on the Indigenous peoples, the Movement, and the judicial system itself!
Come and show your colors! Your support! All drummer, banners, bodies are welcomed! Call for more information, 415-577-1492
Tony Gonzales
Emergency Protest For Leonard Peltier
Friday, January 23, 11am - 1pm
San Francisco Federal Building
AIM-WEST
eltonyg@earthlink.net
415-577-1492
Following is an extremely urgent letter from Leonard Peltier's sister.
Please consider doing anything you can to help stop Leonard Peltier's murder in prison.
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From: contact@whoisleonar dpeltier. info
URGENT ALERT! Leonard Peltiers safety is in jeopardy! Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:20:21 -0800 (PST)
Dear LP Supporters
I am so OUTRAGED!
My brother Leonard was severely beaten upon his
arrival at the Canaan Federal Penitentiary. When he went into
population after his transfer, some inmates assaulted him. The
severity of his injuries is that he suffered numerous blows to his
head and body, receiving a large bump on his head, possibly a
concussion, and numerous bruises. Also, one of his fingers is swollen
and discolored and he has pain in his chest and ribcage. There was
blood everywhere from his injuries.
We feel that prison authorities at the prompting of the FBI orchestrated this attack and thus, we are greatly concerned about his safety. It may be that the attackers, whom Leonard did not even know, were offered reduced sentences for carrying out this heinous assault. Since Leonard is up for parole soon, this could be a conspiracy to discredit a model prisoner.
He was placed in solitary confinement and only given one meal, this is generally done when you won't name your attackers; incidentally being only given one meal seriously jeopardizes his health because of his diabetes. Prison officials refuse to release any info to the family, but they need to hear from his supporters to protect his safety, as does President Obama. His attorneys are trying to get calls into him now.
This attack on LP comes on the heels of the FBI's recent letter, prompting this attack by FBI supporters as an attempt to discredit LP as a model prisoner. Anyone who has been in the prison system knows well that if you refuse to name your attackers or file charges against them, then you lose your status as a victim and/or given points against your possible parole and labeled as a perpetrator.
It is not uncommon, in fact is quite common for the government to use Indian against Indian and they still operate under the old adage "it takes an Indian to catch an Indian". In 1978, they made an attempt to assassinate him through another Indian man who was also at Marion prison with LP. But Standing Deer chose to reveal the plot to him instead of taking his life in exchange FOR A CHANCE AT FREEDOM. When Standing Deer was released in 2001, he joined the former Leonard Peltier Defense Committee as a board member. He also began to speak on Leonard's behalf until his murder six years ago today. Prior to his murder, Standing Deer confided with close friends and associates that the same man who visited him in Marion to assassinate Peltier, had came to Houston, TX and told him that he had better stay away from Peltier and anything to do with him.
We are aware that currently, the FBI is actively seeking support for his continued imprisonment of Leonard Peltier and also also seeking support from Native People. So please be aware, and keep Leonard in your prayers. The FBI is apparently afraid of the impact we are having. If they will set him up to blemish his record just before a parole hearing, what will they do when it looks like his freedom will become a reality? We need to make sure that nothing happens to him again!
Please write the President, send it priority or registered mail. Email to Change.gov or email President Obama. Call your congressional representatives and write letters, not email, to them. Do what you can to get the word out to insure that LP is receiving adequate medical attention for his injuries.
I am asking you, supporters of Leonard and advocates of justice at this time to help. I don't know what else to do. Please Help!
Thank you Betty Peltier-Solano Executive Coordinator Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
Also call and request Leonard be treated with dignity and respect. Canaan Federal Prison 570-488-8000
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Free Leonard Peltier -- "Amnesty International considers Leonard
Peltier to be a political prisoner whose avenues of redress have long
been exhausted... .Amnesty International recognizes that a retrial is
no longer a feasible option and believes that Leonard Peltier should
be immediately and unconditionally released." Documents show that
although the prosecution and government pointed the finger at Peltier
for shooting FBI agents at close range during the trial in 1976, for
three years the prosecution withheld critical ballistic test results
proving that the fatal bullets could not have come from the gun tied
to Leonard Peltier. This trial also denied evidence of self defense.
The U.S. Prosecutor, during subsequent oral arguments, stated: "we
can't prove who shot those agents".
The Eighth Circuit found that
"There is a possibility that the jury would have acquitted Leonard
Peltier had the records and data improperly withheld from the defense
been available to him in order to better exploit and reinforce the
inconsistencies casting strong doubts upon the government's case."
Yet, a new trial was denied. Judge Heaney, who authored the denial
now supports Mr. Peltier's release, stating that the FBI used
improper tactics to gain Mr. Peltier's conviction.
A good way to
learn about Leonard Peltier is to read his book:
Prison Writings: My
Life Is My Sun Dance. For excerpts, see the following link, under
article by Louise Erdich:
<http://www.flybynew s.com/cgi- local/newspro/ viewnews. cgi?newsid978364 686,28469, m>Time
for Human Rights on Native Ground. This
<http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=G5iTvAnSkDw>YouTube of Leonard
reading his own words to music and photos is really beautiful. For
more resources:
<http://www.flybynew s.com/cgi- local/newspro/ viewnews. cgi?newsid101320 7483,22139,>Free
Leonard Peltier!