MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 November 2015
Contact: Peter Clark, Co-Director, International Leonard Peltier
Defense Committee; Phone: (505) 217-3612 ; Email:
contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info; Web: www.whoisleonardpeltier.info
FBI interferes with exhibit of work by the renowned Native American artist Leonard Peltier
An
art exhibit commemorating National Native American Month at the state
Department of Labor and Industries building, Tumbwater, Washington, is
being dismantled in response to complaints received from law enforcers.
"This
is overt government censorship and it's unconstitutional," said Peter
Clark, co-director of the International Leonard Peltier Defense
Committee.
"Former
agents of the FBI, joined by State police officers, have imposed their
personal views on the citizens of the State of Washington. It's ironic
that in celebration of Native American Month, the government is
suppressing freedom of expression by a Native American. But everyone
should be alarmed by this occurrence. Once you allow the censorship of
an artist by government, you give it the power to censor everyone."
Those
opposing the installation of the artwork were not offended by the
content, which reflects Native American culture, but the artist.
Leonard Peltier, who maintains his innocence, was convicted in
connection with the 1976 shooting deaths of two agents of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation on the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota.
"We
are certain that had Peltier gone to trial with his co-defendants, who
were acquitted on grounds of self defense; had he been allowed to
present all of the evidence in his defense; had a racist juror exposed
during trial not been allowed to remain on the panel; and had critical
ballistics evidence reflecting his innocence not been withheld, Leonard
Peltier would be a free man today."
Appellate
courts have repeatedly acknowledged evidence of government misconduct
in the Peltier case—including knowingly presenting false statements to a
Canadian court to extradite Mr. Peltier to the United States, and
forcing witnesses to lie at trial. The federal prosecutor has twice
admitted that the government "can't prove who shot those agents".
According
to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals “the FBI used improper tactics in
securing Peltier’s extradition from Canada and in otherwise
investigating and trying the Peltier case.” The court concluded that
the government withheld evidence from the defense favorable to Peltier
"which cast a strong doubt on the government's case," and that had this
other evidence been brought forth "there is a possibility that a jury
would have acquitted Leonard Peltier".
As
late as November 2003, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals acknowledged
that "…Much of the government’s behavior at the Pine Ridge Reservation
and its prosecution of Leonard Peltier is to be condemned. The
government withheld evidence. It intimidated witnesses. These facts are
not disputed."
Imprisoned
for nearly 40 years, Peltier—71 years old and in declining health—has
been designated a political prisoner by Amnesty International. Nelson
Mandela, Desmond Tutu, 55 Members of Congress and others—including a
judge who sat as a member of the court in two of his appeals—have all
called for Peltier's immediate release.
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