Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
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LEAVENWORTH, KS - France's former First Lady Danielle Mitterand, who is president of the French human rights organization, France Libertes, is calling for the release of Leonard Peltier. Peltier, an Anishinabe-Lakota, has been imprisoned for 23 years for the deaths of two FBI agents, a crime he says he did not commit. The group describes Peltier's plight as a "black mark against the United States."

Danielle Mitterand, president of the human rights group France Libertes (lib-er-taise), traveled to Washington D.C. Wednesday to advocate for the release of Leonard Peltier. She's pushing for President Clinton to grant him clemency. Mitterand met with an Assistant Attorney General and members of congress. She met with Peltier later in Leavenworth, Kansas on Friday, April 30, 1999.

At an Amnesty International press conference, Mitterand said her goal is two-part. The first step is getting Peltier, who suffered from lock jaw as a child, into the Mayo clinic where his jaw can be re-operated on. "Today there is an emergency, we must respond to the necessity of support to Leonard Peltier health wise. and for after tomorrow of course his liberation." (Quote translated from French to English.)

Mitterand and Amnesty International contend that Peltier was falsely convicted of shooting two FBI agents. They say he was targeted because of his political activities. Peltier moved to the Pine Ridge Reservation to help elders resist the federal government's efforts to take away reservation lands.

After the trial, the prosecutor admitted ballistic evidence clearly showed Peltier's rifle could not have fired the deadly shots. On appeal, prosecution changed the murder charge to one of aiding and abetting. Peltier supporters say he's been imprisoned more than twice the time normally served for those charges.

According to prison officials, Peltier's plight has also attracted the attention of Britain's Queen Elizabeth. In February 1999, the European Parliament approved a resolution calling for Peltier to be freed.

Nancy Thomas contributed to this story.