Leonard Peltier

Proposed resolution submitted by the Florida District to the National Convention of the Communist Party USA

WHEREAS: Leonard Peltier, a Native American citizen of this country has now been imprisoned for 25 years following a highly controversial conviction (with what has since been shown to be suborned and false testimony) for the murder of two FBI agents during the 1975 "reign of terror" on the Pine Ridge Reservation;

WHEREAS: Mr. Peltier has been denied a new trial in a case where even the United States Attorney admits that no one knows who fired the fatal shots;

WHEREAS: Mr. Peltier was not even tested at the time of the shootings for gun power residue on his hands;

WHEREAS: The caliber of bullets found in the FBI agents did not match the caliber of Mr. Peltier's weapon;

WHEREAS: Mr. Peltier has become a symbol of ongoing United States Government repression against the Native American people of this country;

WHEREAS: Whereas Mr. Peltier has been a model prisoner and has an impressive record of human rights work from his prison cell;

WHEREAS: Mr. Peltier has over the years been denied adequate medical attention until it was life-threatening and the public demanded that something be done to save his life;

WHEREAS: Mr. Peltier has been arbitrarily denied parole, although he is nine years overdue for parole,

WHEREAS: Mr. Peltier should have been given his probative release date over fifteen years ago according to the Comprehensive Crime Control Act passed by Congress in 1984;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That we urge the National Convention of the Communist Party USA to demand the immediate release of Leonard Peltier and all other Political Prisoners.

Submitted by:
Florida State Convention, Tampa, April 28, 2001