The Rosenberg Fund for Children recently received a request from the Friends of Peltier, asking that we support the release on parole of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier and, in the event that parole is denied, support freedom for Mr. Peltier in the form of Executive Clemency.

The RFC doesn’t take such actions as an organization, but Leonard Peltier is on the RFC’s Advisory Board and some members of his family have received RFC awards in the past. As an individual I urge all members of the RFC community to support the effort described in the email below and to spread the word by forwarding this information to others. (You can forward this blog post easily by clicking the “email this page” link at the bottom of this page).

Thank you,

Robert Meeropol

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From: Friends of Peltier [info@FreePeltierNow.org]
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 1:43 PM
To: info@FreePeltierNow.org
Subject: Leonard Peltier Needs Your Help

Greetings, Friends!

We hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits. ...

We respectfully ask [you to] support the release of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier on parole and, in the event that parole is denied, support freedom for Mr. Peltier in the form of Executive Clemency.

As you may recall, Mr. Peltier (of the Anishinabe, Dakota, and Lakota Nations) was wrongfully convicted for the deaths on June 26, 1975, of two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota. An innocent man who Amnesty International has designated a political prisoner, Peltier is currently imprisoned at the penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He has served over 30 years in federal prison despite proof that he was convicted on the basis of fabricated and suppressed evidence, as well as coerced testimony.

Leonard Peltier's first full parole hearing was held in 1993, at which time his case was continued for a 15-year reconsideration. A full parole hearing will occur on either July 27 or July 28, 2009. We strongly urge you and your members to write letters in support of parole for Leonard Peltier. Reference Leonard Peltier #89637-132 and send your correspondence to the U.S. Parole Commission, 5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 420, Chevy Chase, MD 20815-7286. Visit www.FreePeltierNow.org for sample text.

Please send … copies of letters in support of parole to Mr. Peltier's attorneys as soon as possible: Peltier Legal Team, c/o LP-DOC, P.O. Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106. For more information about Mr. Peltier's upcoming parole hearing, please call his defense committee at 701/235-2206.

Brother Leonard thanks you for all that you do on his behalf. We also thank you for your support and ask that you keep Mr. Peltier in your thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,

Delaney Bruce for
Friends of Peltier
www.FreePeltierNow.org