>From: "LPDC" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: URGENT PELTIER ACTION >URGENT ACTION: >CONGRESSMAN HYDE MISUSING JUDICIARY COMMITTEE >TO OPPOSE CLEMENCY FOR PELTIER > >According to the “Washington Times,” Congressman Henry Hyde, who actively >opposes Leonard Peltier’s release, is now heading a House Judiciary >Committee “investigation” on the case of Leonard Peltier. He will be >forwarding the results to President Clinton. Leonard Peltier’s attorneys >have not been contacted by the House Judiciary Committee and the Judiciary >Committee has not reviewed anything other than FBI information to our >knowledge. Furthermore, Congressman John Conyers, the ranking democrat of >the House Judiciary Committee and a supporter of Leonard Peltier’s, has not >even been informed about, or included in the so-called investigation. >Clearly Congressman Hyde is abusing the power of the House Judiciary >Committee by disguising his opinion as an unbiased “investigation” in an >attempt to interfere with the clemency process. Therefore, urgent action is >needed to oppose this move. For more information, read the “Washington >Times” article below. Be warned, the article is wrought with irresponsible >misinformation….not a surprise coming from this particular paper. > >URGENT ACTION #1: >Call the House Judiciary Committee: >202-225-3951 > >WHAT TO SAY: >1. We want to know why Congressman Hyde is conducting a Judiciary Committee >investigation on the case of Leonard Peltier without informing all of the >other committee members, including the Ranking Democrat, John Conyers. > >2. We also want to know why none of Mr. Peltier’s attorneys have been >informed about this investigation. > >3. We strongly oppose the conducting of an investigation whose >pre-determined goal is to oppose clemency for Leonard Peltier, rather than >allow all sides of the situation to be heard fairly and equally. > >4. Amnesty International, the Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, >several members of Congress, and millions of US citizens have looked into >the case of Leonard Peltier and determined that he should be immediately >released. We suggest the Judiciary Committee thoroughly examine our reasons, >including the utilization of falsified evidence, the withholding of >exculpatory evidence, and the coercing of witnesses in gaining Mr. Peltier’s >conviction. Equally important, the US Attorney has admitted on several >occasions that he cannot prove who shot the agents. Documentation to all of >these claims is ample, and can be provided to the Judiciary Committee by Mr. >Peltier’s attorneys. > >URGENT ACTION #2: >Call Congressman John Conyers >John Conyers 202-225-5126 > >WHAT TO SAY: >1. According to the “Washington Times” Congressman Henry Hyde has initiated >a Judiciary Committee investigation into the case of Leonard Peltier. > >2. Leonard Peltier is considered by Amnesty International to be a political >prisoner who should be “immediately and unconditionally” released. >Literally no evidence exists as to his guilt. > >3. Congressman Conyers has long raised questions as to the fairness of Mr. >Peltier’s trial and we are upset that he has not been included in the >investigation. > >4. Congressman Hyde openly opposes Leonard Peltier’s release through >Executive Clemency, and has initiated the so-called investigation for this >reason only. > >5. We are calling to urge Congressman Conyers to intervene in the >investigation by voicing his concern with the many improprieties involved in >the conviction of Leonard Peltier, as he has rightly done many times in the >past. > >6. We strongly oppose any investigation that will not be inclusive to our >many concerns about the Peltier case including the utilization of falsified >evidence, the withholding of exculpatory evidence, and the coercing of >witnesses to gain a conviction. Any investigation that fails to do so would >be unfair, deceptive, and an unjust interference of the clemency process. > >ARTICLE: > >Clemency review worries House Judiciary chairman >Hyde says inquiry on Peltier blocked by administration > >By Jerry Seper, The Washington Times > >The chairman of the House committee yesterday accused the Clinton >administration of blocking efforts to find out the status of a pending >clemency review for Leonard Peltier, the American Indian activist convicted >of murdering two FBI agents in a 1975 shootout. > >Rep. Henry J. Hyde, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sad he is >“concerned about the possibility” of clemency for Peltier, now serving two >life terms at the federal prison in Leavenworth, Kan., in the murders of >Agents Jack R. Coler and Ronald A. Williams. > >“When I learned the Department of Justice was actively reviewing this case, >I wrote to Attorney General Janet Reno twice requesting information relating >to the clemency review,” Mr. Hyde said in a statement. >“in response, DOJ refused to provide answers to my inquiry on the ground >that clemency and pardon matters are subject to executive privilege,” the >Illinois Republican said. “I am concerned about the silence from DOJ and >the White House on this matter. This should be an easy decision – Leonard >Peltier should serve his complete sentence and should not receive clemency.” > >Mr. Hyde has begun a committee investigation into the matter. He also sent >a dozen letters yesterday to law enforcement associations nationwide, >outlining the case against Peltier and describing his concerns about a >possible clemency order. > >The clemency petition is under review by the Justice Department, which will >make a recommendation to President Clinton in the case. The department has >refused to hand over documents to Mr. Hyde concerning the review, saying >Congress “has no authority whatsoever to review a president’s clemency >decision.” >Justice Department officials have confirmed the review is ongoing, but have >declined to elaborate. >Peltier, 55, filed a petion for clemency in November 1993, his third such >request. President Reagan rejected a similar petition in 1982, and a 1989 >request was administratively closed by President Bush. >The Supreme Court has twice denied without comment Peltier’s appeals of his >conviction. > >Eligible for parole in 2008, he was convicted in the June 26, 1975 murders >of Mr. Coler, 28, and Mr. Williams, 27, and sentenced June 2, 1977, in >Fargo, N.D. His conviction came after he fled to Canada and was extradited >to the United States. > >The killings occurred at South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, near >Wounded Knee, when Peltier’ van was stopped by the agents looking for a >suspect in a kidnapping and assault. According to court records, Peltier >was himself a fugitive and thought he was about to be arrested. > >The records show Peltier fled the van with two others and began shooting at >the agents with semi automatic rifles. Mr. Coler and Mr. Williams were >wounded immediately. Crime-scene experts said the agents fired only five >shots before being hit, compared with more than 125 bullet holes found in >their car. > >Prosecutors said Peltier and two other men approached the wounded agents and >fired three shots at point-blank range, hitting Mr. Williams in the face as >he knelt and Mr. Colder who was still unconscious. twice in the head. > >Law enforcement authorities from throughout the country have united in a >letter-writing effort to prevent Peltier’s release – led by the 9,500-member >FBI Agents Association and by agents at the bureau’s 56 offices nationwide. > >The association, in a recent letter to Mr. Clinton, described Peltier as a >"murderer with no respect or regard for human life.” It told Mr. Clinton >there was “no justification” for a grant of clemency, calling Peltier “a >vicious, violent and cowardly criminal who hides be hind the Native American >Community.” > >FBI Director Louis J. Freeh also has opposed clemency, saying Peltier's >guilt “has been firmly established.” Mr. Freeh has said the agents were >killed with rifle bullets at close range after they had been wounded in a >gunfight. > >“The FBI cannot forget this cold-blooded crime nor should the American >people,” Mr. Freeh said in a statement. > >Efforts by the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee for a clemency grant by Mr. >Clinton have drawn noticeable support from the Hollywood community, which >contends – but has offered no proof – the FBI withheld or planted evidence >and coerced witnesses to win Peltier’s conviction. > >That effort has been led by Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Robin >Williams and Robert Redford. The defense committee has said it received >positive reaction from both Mr. Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. > > >Call the White House Comments Line Today >Demand Justice for Leonard Peltier! 202-456-1111 > >Be in New York City December 10th >Peltier March For Freedom! > >Leonard Peltier Defense Committee >PO Box 583 >Lawrence, KS 66044 >785-842-5774 >www.freepeltier.org > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
