Friends of Peltier-News 1

Forwarded on behalf of the LPDOCFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15 November 2010
Contact: Delaney Bruce, Legal Team Liaison, Leonard Peltier Defense
Offense Committee, PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106, USA; Telephone:
1-701-235-2206; contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info

Peltier family accuses U.S. government of medical neglect

"A man dies from prostate cancer every 16 minutes in this country.
Why does my brother have to wait over a year to receive even
a diagnosis?"

Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who maintains his
innocence, was wrongfully convicted in connection with the shooting
deaths of two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1977.
Imprisoned for 35 years-currently at the federal prison in Lewisburg,
Pennsylvania-Peltier 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 Peltier's appeals-have all called for his
immediate release. Widely recognized for his humanitarian works
and a six-time Nobel Prize nominee, Peltier also is an accomplished
author and painter.

Sister Betty Solano says Peltier began exhibiting symptoms commonly
attributed to prostate cancer over a year ago. His age (he is 66
years old) and family history are risk factors for the disease.
Pressured by Peltier's attorneys, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) ran
standard blood tests in June. Peltier received the results last
week, over four months later. A physician only now says a biopsy
is needed to make a diagnosis.

Prostate cancer affects 1 in 6 men in the United States. Medical
experts agree that the cure rate for prostate cancer is high,
but only if detected early.

Even if Peltier doesn't have cancer, the symptoms indicate a serious
medical condition and one that could lead to serious complications
if left untreated.

A physician who conducted an independent review of Peltier's medical
records in 2000 concluded that Peltier's overall medical treatment is
below a reasonable standard of care. Decades ago, Peltier suffered
a stroke which left him nearly blind in one eye-damage physicians say
could have been prevented had he been treated sooner. In the 1990s,
there was international outrage after the BOP botched surgeries to
correct a jaw problem. Only then was Peltier transferred to the
Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for treatment. Subsequent procedures were
recommended by a specialist, but never performed by the BOP.

"Last week, at the United Nations, the United States claimed
that it is unequivocally committed to the humane treatment
of all individuals in detention, including criminal detention.
Delaying tests, avoiding a diagnosis, and preventing proper medical
treatment for a potentially life threatening disease is not humane
by anyone's definition," a spokesperson for the Leonard Peltier
Defense Offense Committee said. "Unfortunately, this situation
isn't unique to Mr. Peltier. Many U.S. prisoners die prematurely
because treatment is delayed or denied."

Family members want the government to release Peltier who was
denied parole in 2009. His North Dakota tribe has twice passed
a resolution asking the government to transfer Peltier into their
custody. Peltier's many supporters believe his release from prison
is the only way Peltier will receive humane treatment.

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Time to set him free... Because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Friends of Peltier
http://www.FreePeltierNow.org