Leonard Peltier is led across Oakalla Prison to a waiting helicopter on December 17, 1976 in Burnaby, British Columbia. Photo: Bettmann Archive

During his final hours in office, President Joe Biden granted clemency to Indigenous rights activist Leonard Peltier on Monday, ending nearly five decades of imprisonment.

Peltier, 80, was convicted in 1977 for the deaths of two FBI agents during a 1975 shootout on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. His trial has long been criticized by human rights groups, including Amnesty International, for alleged procedural flaws and insufficient evidence directly linking him to the crime.

Since his conviction, Peltier has maintained his innocence. In a 60 Minutes interview, he said, “I never killed those agents. I didn’t fire the first shots, but it wouldn’t make any difference at all. These two strangers were firing on these homes which were occupied by women and children. We were asked to come to this reservation to protect this community, and that is exactly what we did. The only thing I am guilty of is trying to help my people.”

Despite repeated denials of parole, most recently in July, calls for clemency intensified as Peltier’s health declined. He suffers from multiple chronic conditions, including lingering effects of COVID-19, a stroke, and an aortic aneurysm.

His release marks a significant victory for Indigenous activists and supporters, who have long campaigned for his freedom, citing his imprisonment as a symbol of systemic injustices faced by Native communities in the United States.