[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 27710-27711]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   NO CLEMENCY FOR CONVICTED MURDERER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kuykendall). Under a previous order of 
the House, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. McInnis) is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee has 
announced that in November 1999, it is the Freedom Month for Leonard 
Peltier. I used to be a former police officer and I take this 
personally.
  This committee intends to deliver to the President of the United 
States a petition asking him to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier.
  Leonard Peltier is currently serving consecutive life sentences in a 
Federal penitentiary for the ruthless murder of two FBI agents. To 
commute the sentence of Peltier and allow him to be released would be a 
tragic injustice. The Members of the FBI Agents Association and the 
Society for Former Special Agents of the FBI want the President and all 
Americans to be aware of all reasons why clemency should not be granted 
to Peltier.
  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 the 
agents pulled into the Jumping Bull compound area of the remote 
reservation seeking to arrest a young man in connection with a recent 
abduction and assault of two young ranchers.
  Observing Peltier's vehicle, the two agents pursued it. Unknown to 
the FBI agents, one of the three men in the vehicle was Leonard 
Peltier, a violent man with a violent past. He was a fugitive, wanted 
for attempted murder of an off duty Milwaukee police officer.
  Knowing these cars pursuing him were FBI cars, Peltier and his two 
associates abruptly stopped their vehicle and began firing their rifles 
at the agents. Surprised by the sudden violence, outmanned and 
outgunned and at an extreme tactical disadvantage, the agents were 
wounded and defenseless within minutes. One of the agents suffered a 
severe wound, having his arm blown off. The other agent was hit in the 
left shoulder and the right foot. Both agents were clearly at the mercy 
of Peltier and their associates.
  Not satisfied with the terrible injuries that they had just 
inflicted, Peltier and the other two men walked down the hill toward 
the ambushed and wounded agents. Three shots were fired from Peltier's 
rifle. One of the agents was still conscious, kneeling and apparently 
surrendering, was shot in the face directly through his outstretched 
hand. He was shot right through his hand. He was trying to surrender. 
He died instantly. The unconscious FBI agent who was lying there with 
severe injuries was shot twice in the head at close range. He also died 
instantly.

[[Page 27711]]

  Following the murders, Peltier fled the reservation. In November 1975 
an Oregon state trooper stopped a recreational vehicle in which Peltier 
was hiding. Peltier fired at the trooper and escaped. But found within 
that recreational vehicle was one of the weapons from the FBI agent 
with Peltier's fingerprints on the bag which contained the weapon.
  When later arrested in Canada by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 
Peltier remarked that had he known those were mounted police officers 
and they were there to arrest them, he would have immediately blown 
them out of their shoes. These are not the comments of an innocent man, 
and they portray a very violent man who, without mercy, assassinated 
two FBI agents.
  Peltier in 1977 was finally brought to justice and he was found 
guilty on both counts of the murder of these FBI agents. He was 
sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.
  While incarcerated in a Federal prison, a rifle was smuggled in to 
Peltier. He shot his way out of prison and several days later, after 
assaulting a ranger and stealing his truck, he was finally recaptured. 
He was tried and convicted of escape.
  Peltier has since appealed his various convictions on numerous 
occasions. Every time he appeals his conviction, the courts turn him 
down. The United States Supreme Court has had his case twice. They have 
turned it down twice without comment.
  The record is clear: There are no new facts. These are only old 
facts, and they have not changed. This man is guilty of murder in cold 
blood of two FBI agents and he should not be released from jail, Mr. 
President.
  Peltier openly states he feels no guilt, remorse or even regret for 
the murders. Peltier has lived a life of crime. He has earned and 
deserves a lifetime of incarceration. Peltier is a murderer without 
compassion or feeling for his fellow man and in turn he deserves no 
compassion.
  Mr. President, there is no justification for relieving Peltier from 
his punishment. Our judicial system has spoken in this case again and 
again and again and again. 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. He 
is simply a thug and a murderer with no respect for human life. Our 
citizens on and off the reservation must be protected from murderers 
like Peltier.
  Mr. President, since Leonard Peltier could not fool the Federal 
courts, he is now trying to fool you and the public. Do not let it 
happen. Turn down that request for clemency.

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