Indigenous Activist Leonard Peltier Faces Final Parole Hearing for 1975 FBI Agent Murders
Leonard Peltier, an indigenous activist who shot and killed two wounded FBI agents in a 1975 shootout, is set to have what could be his final parole hearing on Monday. Peltier, now 79 years old, has been serving two consecutive life sentences for the slayings, along with an additional seven years for an attempted escape.
The incident took place on June 26, 1975, when FBI special agents Ronald Williams and Jack Coler were investigating armed robbery suspects on the Oglala Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Peltier, who was not one of the robbery suspects, was traveling in a vehicle that caught the agents’ attention.
After a shootout that left both agents wounded, Peltier approached them and shot each man in the head at point-blank range before fleeing to Canada. He was later captured and extradited to the U.S. for trial.
While Peltier has garnered support from left-wing advocates and some Democratic lawmakers, the FBI Agents Association is vehemently opposed to his release and is urging the federal Parole Commission to keep him behind bars.
FBI Director Christopher Wray stated that Peltier’s latest application for parole should be denied, emphasizing that Peltier has never expressed remorse for his actions and that his crimes have had lasting consequences for the FBI and the families of the slain agents.
Despite calls for his release from some senators and activists, former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama both denied requests for clemency for Peltier in the past. The FBI Agents Association continues to oppose any efforts to grant him parole.
As Peltier’s parole hearing approaches, the debate over his release continues to stir emotions among those involved in the case. Supporters argue that his initial conviction was based on flawed evidence, while opponents maintain that he should serve the full sentence for his crimes.
The outcome of Peltier’s parole hearing on Monday will determine whether he will be released from prison or remain behind bars for the rest of his life.
