Copyright © 1998 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

           Congress decided to give itself a short session this year, ending in May. It looks unlikely that the Pine Ridge Hearings will be rescheduled before then. In the meantime the Justice Department is busy investigating the charges against itself at Pine Ridge bringing into play the reservation Criminal Investigators ( CI ). If these CI’s aren’t familiar with the case then” any questions should be directed to the Pine Ridge BIA Superintendent, Robert Ecoffey”, (memo to Chief ,Division of Law Enforcement Services). Ecoffy was directly involved with the Justice Department during the 1970’s. Prior to that he served as Head of the U..S. Marshal Service, South Dakota . The Justice Department provides the funding for Reservation Law Enforcement and obviously they control the program. In such an hierarchy, its doubtful unbiased fairness will prevail further. The CIs have access to evidence that should remain untampered. This could endanger the validity of valuable existing proof prior to its presentation at a formal hearing.

           Support Groups are strongly encouraged to strengthen the efforts to bring Congressional support for Senate Hearings on the Pine Ridge matter. Do your home work and become familiar with key issues in the case. Identify your elected representatives, set up appointments with them to present LP case documents and answer questions. Develop media resources. LP is not getting the coverage his case deserves. Letter writing and Fax campaigns are needed immediately directing demands for Pine Ridge Senate Hearings to Members of the Judiciary Committee. Senator Orin Hatch, Chairman deserves all the attention he can get from his Utah constituents.

           Evidence supporting the “Obstruction of Justice” by the Justice Department (FBI) in the case of Leonard Peltier and the Oglala Lakota Nation can be found in Federal court cases (e.g. the trial of U.S. vs. Robideau & Butler. The 1974 Wounded Knee Leadership trials). The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reports 1974-75. Depositions of eyewitnesses involved in the violence. Video documentaries (“Incident at Oglala”, “In The Spirit Of Crazy Horse”, “Warrior, The Life of Leonard Peltier”), and tape recordings of witnesses. Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) documents availabale from LPDC.

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Issues and which there is evidence of the “Obstruction of Justice” by the Justice Department :

1. The FBI coercing and intimidating witnesses.
2. The FBI withholding of evidence and fabricating of eyewitness affidavits.
3. Use of perjured affidavits to extradite Peltier.
4. Use of perjured firearms evidence at his trial.
5. Fabrication of Ballistics evidence and suppression of proof.
6. Fabrication of evidence that Peltier killed the agents and suppression of eyewitness accounts that others were responsible.
7. Jury tampering by the FBI.
8. The FBI sponsoring armed assaults, assassinations on AIM individuals and their residences.
9. The FBI providing illegal arms and ammunition to select Indians to be used against their own people.
10. Exparte contact between the Justice Department (FBI) and the Federal judges involved in the Peltier case resulting in denying Peltier rights to a fair trial and impartial trial jury.
11. Federal appellate court judge William Webster sat on a panel that heard Peltier’s case was then elected to head the FBI.
12. The FBI conspiring to assassinate Peltier in prison.
13. The dissemination of false and inflammatory information to the jury and court.
14. Coercion of children into giving perjured testimony.
15. Manipulation of the judge and jury through the creation of a climate of fear in the courtroom.

                            JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
                       SD - 224,   1st and C Sts., NE
                            Washington, DC 20510
                            Phone: (202) 224-5225

                Republicans                    Democrats
						
           Orin Hatch, Utah, Chairman       Joseph R. Biden, DE
           Strom Thurman, SC                Edward M. Kennedy, MA
           John Ashcroft, MO.               Patrick  J. Leahy, VT
           Charles E. Grassley, IA          Dianne Feinstein, CA
           Arlen Specter, PA                Russell D. Feingold, WI
           Fred Thompson, TN                Herbert Kohl, WI
           Jon Kyl, AZ                      Richard Durbin, IL
           Mike Dewine, OH                  Robert Torricelli, NJ
           Spencer Abraham, MI
           Jeff Sessions, AL

                         INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
                       SH - 838, 2nd and C Sts., NE
                           Washington, DC  20515
                           Phone: (202) 224-2251

                     Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Chairman
                        SR - 380, 1st and C Sts., NE
                            Washington, DC 20510
                            Phone:(202) 224-5852