• February 16th, 2025
  • Sunday, 11:35:20 PM

Free Leonard Peltier


 

Janene Yazzie 

Posted Dec. 19, 2024

 

With 33 days left until January 20th, 2025, NDN Collective has been working diligently to escalate advocacy efforts to elevate the urgency for President Biden to take immediate action to grant executive Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Since President Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, several notable leaders have escalated the call for action for other non-violent criminals and federal death row inmates, including calling for the release of boarding school survivor Leonard Peltier.

 

Now, more than ever, we must keep the pressure on President Biden. With your support, we can guarantee justice for Leonard Peltier. Read more here.

 

This week has been momentous for our clemency efforts, and we’re officially as close as we’ve ever been to seeing Leonard Peltier free. Here’s a recap of the progress made to build visibility and wide-scale support for this long-overdue act of Justice. We’re witnessing record-breaking support for our elder Leonard Peltier, who may once and for all be set free to return to his homelands and live the remainder of his time surrounded by his loved ones.

 

  1. On December 3rd Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for President Biden to commute federal death sentences, including specifically referencing Leonard Peltier. NDN Collective shared this news across all our platforms on Monday December 9th. Read More → 
  2. Native News Online released an article covering NCAI President Mark Macarro’s meeting with President Biden on Air Force One, en route to the historic event hosted by the Gila River Community, during which President Biden formally apologized for the federal government’s role in Boarding School Abuses. President Macarro used the 5 mins of his time to bring up Executive Clemency for Leonard Peltier directly to President Biden. This was a significant step in ensuring President Biden heard directly from Tribal leaders about what Leonard Peltier’s release would mean for Indian country. Learn More→
  3. On December 10th, A small delegation of NDN representatives went to Washington, D.C., to advocate with Tribal leaders attending the White House Tribal Nations Summit. During this time, 36 representatives joined the Tribal Leaders Letter requesting President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier Executive Presidency. Materials such as lapel pins were handed out to tribal leaders and during the White House Summit, several leaders brought up Leonard Peltier to President Biden and White House staff. NDN Collective shared a recording of President Frank Star Comes Out talking to President Biden Directly and asking him to Free Leonard Peltier, to which President Biden responded, “I’m looking into it.”  Watch Video →
  4. Also on December 10th, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA 7th District), and other advocates held a press conference in Washington, D.C., addressing the urgent need for clemency and commutation of Federal death row cases. Delivering a powerful intervention, Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO 1st District), stood boldly for truth and justice, including Leonard Peltier in her remarks, referencing his continued incarceration as “a symbol of the deep injustices within our justice system.”  Rep. Bush demonstrated her deep knowledge of the case, laying out multiple established facts, stating, “his trial was rife with prosecutorial misconduct and glaring violations of due process… President Biden can finally grant Peltier the clemency he deserves.” We thank Rep. Bush for her powerful advocacy for her community and for Leonard Peltier.  Watch Video →
  5. On December 11th, the NDN Collective delegation attended and presented to Tribal Leaders at the IGA tribal Leaders meeting. Tribal Leaders verbalized their support, and several representatives offered to sit in and help advocate in a meeting scheduled with the US Department of Justice later that day.
  6. Tribal Leaders and NDN Collective meet with DOJ representatives, including the Deputy Attorney General, who is personally tasked with writing the recommendation regarding Leonard Peltier’s clemency for President Biden. The Tribal leaders in the room represented over 300 federally recognized tribes, chaired by Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out. Each tribal leader had an opportunity to talk to the lead DOJ staff, sharing facts about Leonard’s case, humanizing him as an elder and leader, and sharing what his release would mean for Indian Country. They also could ask questions and get clarity about the Clemency Petition process. Still, they were not given any definitive information on what the recommendation that is being drafted will be.
  7. The National Native American Boarding Schools Coalition (NABS) recently called on President Biden to issue executive clemency to Leonard, a boarding school survivor, in their latest letter sent to the White House. Read here→
  8. The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) has just released a groundbreaking report uncovering the pervasive impact of systemic racism in criminal defense. This must-read report highlights how Leonard’s “prolonged imprisonment, particularly for an elderly man in declining health, is a profound injustice.” Learn More→

 

The pressure on President Biden to grant our relative Executive Clemency is needed more than ever. As we keep our community updated on emergent news, your voice is crucial to continue to advocate for our relative’s freedom. Help keep our momentum powerful and help amplify our call to #FreeLeonardPeltier! In Solidarity.

 

Janene Yazzie, Director of Policy and Advocacy, NDN Collective.