[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 105 (Monday, June 26, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9028-S9030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         FBI AGENTS REMEMBERED

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, today marks the 20th anniversary of the 
number of two fine young men who served their country in the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation. They were Special Agents Jack Coler and Ron 
Williams. They were murdered by Leonard Peltier, who is now serving two 
life terms in Leavenworth Penitentiary.
  Ron liked living in South Dakota and particularly enjoyed the Black 
Hills.

[[Page S9029]]

After coming to my State in 1975, he purchased a home in a quite 
section of Rapid City, my State's second largest city, Jack was a guest 
in South Dakota. His home was in Colorado. He was halfway through a 60-
day temporary duty assignment in the Rapid City FBI office when he was 
killed.
  Special Agents Coler and Williams were law enforcement officers, 
serving our country, doing a job the Congress of the United States 
authorized them to do. They were young men--Jack was 28 years old; Ron 
was 27--at the very beginning of promising careers with a premier 
Federal law enforcement agency. They performed their duties with a 
great deal of pride.
  Mr. President, the current issue of Outdoor magazine features an 
article by Scott Anderson, entitled ``The Martyrdom of Leonard 
Peltier.'' Despite the rather sympathetic title, the article does a 
fairly good job of debunking the myth that has been created over the 
years by the nonnative American, liberal Eastern establishment and 
Hollywood elites. When the article does portray Peltier as victim, it 
is not in the way previously done, ad nauseam, as a victim of some 
Government conspiracy to frame Peltier for murder. Rather, Peltier is 
portrayed as a stooge of attorneys, newspaper and book publishers, 
print and media journalists, and movie moguls who have used Peltier for 
two decades now to line their own pockets and advance their own liberal 
agenda and warped view of the world.
  I particularly liked Mr. Anderson's comments about the book, ``In the 
Spirit of Crazy Horse,'' by Peter Mattiessen. Mr. Anderson is to be 
commended for calling Matthiessen to task for writing what essentially 
is a work of fiction--subjected to two libel suits--not the work of 
fact he purported it to be. Unfortunately, over the years, 
Matthiessen's apologia for Peltier has been regarded biblically by 
those who choose not to rely on the facts and the trial proceedings for 
what really happened 20 years ago today. Matthiessen's comic book 
version of reality has been spun into various movies and pseudo-
documentaries by the liberal establishment.
  Mr. President, it seems all too predictable that Oliver Stone is 
using that book to make a movie about Peltier. Let us not forget that 
this is the same Oliver Stone who has distorted the collective public 
memory by foisting upon us the movie ``JFK.'' I suspect that the 
American people will learn very little about what really happened 20 
years ago today on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation if they rely on 
the Stone version of the case.
  Regrettably, should this pulp fiction eventually hit the big screen, 
I am sure we will see a resurgence of calls for a Presidential 
commutation of Peltier's life sentences. I would hope that President 
Clinton would hold to the recommendation of the man he appointed to a 
10-year term to head the FBI, Louis Freeh, who has said ``There should 
be no commutation of his [Peltier's] two life terms in prison.'' 
President Clinton has spoken laudably of his respect for law 
enforcement during the debate on last year's crime bill and in the wake 
of the Oklahoma City bombing. The men and women of law enforcement are 
more than worthy of his and other's words of praise. I hope he will 
always remember what a supreme display of disrespect it would be to 
these fine individuals if he caved in to the calls of the radical left 
and freed the man who murdered two of law enforcement's finest, 20 
years ago today.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following my remarks 
there be printed a copy of an open letter to the President, published 
in the Washington Post on July 15, 1994, which was written by the 
representatives of more than 15,000 active duty and former FBI agents. 
It is one of the most concise and accurate accounts of the facts of the 
murders ever to appear in print. I would recommend its reading to all 
my colleagues on the 20th anniversary of the deaths of Special Agents 
Jack Coler and Ron Williams.
  We should never forget the sacrifice made by these two fine men, nor 
forgive the man lawfully convicted and justly sentenced to spend the 
rest of his life behind bars for their murders.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

               [From the Washington Post, July 15, 1995]

    Dear Mr. President: Leonard Peltier Murdered Two FBI Agents--He 
                          Deserves No Clemency

       June 26, 1975, was a hot, dusty Thursday on the Pine Ridge 
     Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota when two 
     young FBI agents arrived from their office in Rapid City. It 
     was about noon when Special Agents Ronald A. Williams, 27, 
     and Jack R. Coler, 28, pulled into the Jumping Bull Compound 
     area of the remote reservation seeking to arrest a young man 
     in connection with the recent abduction and assault of two 
     young ranchers in nearby Manderson, S.D.
       Spotting a red and white Chevrolet Suburban van in which 
     they believed the fugitive suspect to be riding, the two 
     agents pursued it toward an open grassy bowl-like area. 
     Unknown to Special Agents Coler and Williams, one of the 
     three men in the vehicle was Leonard Peltier, a violent man 
     with a violent past, a fugitive wanted for attempted murder 
     of an off-duty Milwaukee policy officer. Knowing the two 
     vehicles pursuing him were occupied by FBI agents and 
     believing they were seeking to arrest him on the attempted 
     murder case, Peltier and his two associates abruptly stopped 
     their vehicles and began firing their rifles at the agents.
       Out of range of the agents' revolvers, Peltier and his 
     friends continued firing. Other militants and radical members 
     of the American Indian Movement (AIM) joined them in shooting 
     at the disabled and trapped agents.
       Surprised by the sudden violence, outmanned, outgunned and 
     at an extreme tactical disadvantage, Coler and Williams were 
     both wounded and defenseless within minutes. Coler sustained 
     a severe wound, the force of a bullet nearly tearing his 
     right arm off. Williams, wounded in the left shoulder and 
     right foot, removed his shirt during the hail of incoming 
     rifle fire and fashioned a tourniquet around the arm of 
     Coler, who had fallen unconscious. Coler, a former Los 
     Angeles Police Department sergeant with two small sons, and 
     Williams, an affable, friendly former FBI clerical employee, 
     were at the mercy of Peltier and his associates. But there 
     was to be no mercy that day for the fine young law 
     enforcement officers.
       Not satisfied with the terrible injuries they had 
     inflicted, Peltier and two other men walked down the hill 
     toward the ambushed officer. Three shots were heard. 
     Williams, kneeling and apparently surrendering, was shot in 
     the face directly through his outstretched, shielding hand. 
     He died instantly. Coler, still unconscious, was shot twice 
     in the head at close range. He died instantly after the 
     second shot. Before leaving the murder scene, Peltier and his 
     criminal associates stole the two dead agents' handguns and 
     the .308 rifle Coler was going after when shot.
       The crime scene examination testified to the brutality of 
     the ambush. Coler and Williams had little chance to defend 
     themselves. They had fired only five shots. In contrast, 
     over 125 bullet holes were found in their two cars.
       The investigation quickly focused on Leonard Peltier as the 
     executioner. The murder weapon was determined to be a .223-
     caliber rifle. Witnesses identified Peltier as the only 
     person at the murder scene in possession of a weapon that 
     would fire a .223-caliber bullet, his weapon being a .223-
     caliber AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Witnesses later testified 
     that Peltier had possessed this rifle before, during and 
     after the ambush. The murder weapons, with others used in the 
     attack, was hidden, AIM sympathizers later spirited it from 
     the area.
       In September 1975, a stationwagon, heavily laden with 
     weapons and explosives, caught fire and blew up on the Kansas 
     Turnpike near Wichita. The murder weapon and Coler's stolen 
     .308 rifle were recovered from the wreckage. One of the 
     vehicle's occupants later testified that he had seen Peltier 
     carrying the recovered .233-caliber rifle by the two FBI 
     agent's cars on the day and at the time of their murder.
       Following the June 26 murders, Leonard Peltier fled the 
     Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The FBI added him to its Ten 
     Most Wanted list. Then, in November, 1975, an Oregon State 
     trooper stopped a recreational vehicle in which Peltier was 
     hiding. Peltier ran from the RV, fired at the officer and 
     escaped. Coler's revolver, stolen when he was murdered, was 
     found in a paper bag under the front seat of the RV. 
     Peltier's thumbprint was on the bag.
       When later arrested in Canada by the Royal Canadian Mounted 
     Police, Peltier remarked that, had he known the officers were 
     there to arrest him, he would have blown them out of their 
     shoes. These are not the comments of an innocent man and 
     portray the true character and violent nature of Leonard 
     Peltier.
       During his trial in U.S. District Court in Fargo, N.D., in 
     April 1977, a jury convicted Peltier of the murders of Coler 
     and Williams. A judge sentenced him to two consecutive life 
     sentences. While incarcerated in the Lompoc, Calif., Federal 
     Prison, and with outside assistance, Peltier shot his way out 
     of jail, using a smuggled semi-automatic .223-caliber rifle 
     to make the escape. A fellow AIM member was killed by guards 
     during the escape. Several days later, after assaulting a 
     rancher and stealing his truck, Peltier was captured. He was 
     tried and convicted of the escape and of being a felon in 
     possession of a firearm. Separate consecutive prison terms of 
     two and five years were added to his two consecutive life 
     sentences.

[[Page S9030]]

       Peltier has since appealed his various convictions numerous 
     times. Each time, the federal courts have upheld earlier 
     court actions. The U.S. Supreme Court has twice denied 
     Peltier petitions for certiorari, without comment. The record 
     is clear. There are no new facts. The old facts have not 
     changed and Peltier is guilty as charged.
       Twice on national television, Peltier has admitted to 
     firing at the two agents. He has openly stated that he feels 
     no guilt or remorse for the murders. One has only to review 
     his murderous misconduct when confronted by law enforcement 
     officers to be convinced of that fact. Leonard Peltier has 
     lived a life of crime. He has earned and deserves a lifetime 
     of incarceration. Leonard Peltier is a murderer without 
     compassion or feeling for his fellow man. In turn, he 
     deserves no compassion.
       Mr. President, on many occasions you have described this 
     country's law enforcement officers as heroes and heroines. 
     You have said that we must work together to ensure that 
     hardened criminals who prey on the innocent receive 
     punishment commensurate with the harm--physical, emotional 
     and financial--that they have inflicted. We agree.
       Peggy Coler, Special Agent Coler's widow, can't believe 
     anyone would consider freeing Peltier, the man convicted of 
     shooting her husband point-blank in the face while he lay 
     unconscious. Her son, Ron, four years old when his dad died 
     and now 22, can't understand how anyone could portray Peltier 
     as the victim of this tragedy. Peggy and Ron Coler are 
     against any thought of a pardon or commutation of Peltier's 
     sentence. We agree.
       Special Agent Ron Williams' mother, Ellen Williams, worries 
     that Peltier's release into an unsuspecting society would 
     only add to the list of grieving loved ones. She is convinced 
     Peltier will commit violent acts against others. We agree.
       Mr. President, it's time for Leonard Peltier to pay up. Our 
     judicial system is overwhelmed, overworked and has spoken in 
     this case, again and again. It's time to move on. Leonard 
     Peltier is a vicious, violent and cowardly criminal who hides 
     behind legitimate Native American issues. Leonard Peltier was 
     never a leader in the Native American community. Peltier is 
     simply a vicious thug and murderer with no respect or regard 
     for human life, especially when law enforcement officers are 
     involved. Our citizens, on and off the reservations, must be 
     protected from predators such as Peltier. Our laws must be 
     respected and obeyed or the penalty must be paid. The 
     punishment must also fit the crime--and it does here.
       Mr. President, since Leonard Peltier couldn't fool the 
     federal courts, he is now trying to fool you and the public. 
     He is shading and hiding the facts--and playing on sympathy. 
     Don't let him get away with it, Mr. President. Sympathy is 
     appropriate only for the dead heroes and their surviving 
     families. Don't let their sacrifice be forgotten.

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