After nearly half a century of imprisonment for the 1975 killings of two FBI agents, Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier will be returning home. President Joe Biden commuted Peltier's sentence on Monday, a decision that has sparked mixed reactions.
The White House announced that Peltier, now 80 and in declining health, will transition to home confinement. This commutation is not a pardon for the crimes committed, a fact that some of Peltier's advocates have welcomed, as he has consistently maintained his innocence.
The National Congress of American Indians hailed the decision as 'historic,' emphasizing that Peltier's case symbolizes the systemic injustices faced by Indigenous Peoples in the United States.
Peltier, a member of the American Indian Movement, was involved in a 1973 standoff at Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. He was convicted in 1977 of the murders of two FBI agents during a confrontation on the reservation in 1975.
Despite being denied parole multiple times, Peltier's commutation has brought relief to his family and supporters. His son expressed shock and joy at the news, noting that his father will finally be able to return home to the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota.
The decision to commute Peltier's sentence has been met with criticism from law enforcement officers, former FBI agents, and prosecutors who believe in his guilt. However, advocates for Peltier's release, including prominent figures like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and civil rights icon Coretta Scott King, have long argued for his innocence.
President Biden's record number of individual pardons and commutations included almost 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. The commutation of Leonard Peltier's sentence is seen as a significant step towards addressing the injustices faced by Native Americans in the United States.
Outgoing Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet member, praised the decision, stating that it signifies a measure of justice that has long been elusive for Native Americans. She commended President Biden for understanding the importance of this action for Indian Country.
