Leonard Peltier, 79, an Anishinabe-Lakota political activist who has been imprisoned for most of his life since his conviction in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents, has been denied parole.
“Today is a sad day for Indigenous Peoples and justice everywhere,” said Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of NDN Collective, an advocacy organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. “The U.S. Parole Commission’s denial of parole for Leonard Peltier, America’s longest-serving Indigenous political prisoner, is a travesty.”
Peltier’s next chance at parole will be in June 2026. However, his health has been declining in recent years, suffering from the effects of COVID-19, a stroke, and an aortic aneurysm. If left untreated, an aortic aneurysm may rupture, causing a life-threatening tear or sudden death.
“President Biden should grant [Peltier] clemency and release him immediately,” said Paul O’Brien, the executive director of Amnesty International USA. “Not only are there ongoing, unresolved concerns about the fairness of his trial, but he has also spent nearly 50 years in prison, is approaching 80 years old, and suffers from several chronic health problems.”
Peltier has been imprisoned since 1977 for the alleged murders of two FBI agents, Ronald Williams and Jack Coler, during a shootout at Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Peltier’s supporters argue that the controversial case was riddled with discrepancies, asserting that the FBI withheld ballistic evidence from the courts that could have proven Peltier’s innocence.
“The Commission had the opportunity to take a small step toward rectifying a decades-long injustice against Mr. Peltier, but incomprehensibly, they have opted against it,” said Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva. “I extend my deepest condolences to him, his family, and his loved ones who are all being denied the peace and time together they deserve. As his health continues to wane, he should be in the care of his community, not the cruelty of confinement.”