An older Indian man who was convicted of killing two FBI agents was freed from prison in 1975 after former President Joe Biden converted his sentence.
Leonard Peltier, 80, left Coleman Penitentiary in Florida in an SUV on Tuesday, according to a prison officer. He did not stop talking to reporters or the approximately two dozen supporters who gathered outside the gates to celebrate his release.
The convicted person, who is in poor health, was depicted with the help of a walker to board an airport at Leesburg airport while he is surrounded by photographers.
Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota, went back to his reserve, where family and friends will celebrate his release with him on Wednesday.
During his almost half a century in prison, Peltier maintained that he did not kill FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams during a confrontation on 26 June 1975, in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
Indians generally believe that he was a political prisoner who was wrongly convicted in 1977 because he fought for tribal rights as a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM).
Some high -ranking officials in law enforcement, as well as political commentators, believe that Peltier is guilty and have destroyed Biden's decision of January 20 to replace his prison sentence with the detention of the house.
Among them is former FBI director Christopher Wray, who called Peltier 'A Hereless Killer' in a private letter to Biden obtained by the Associated Press.
Leonard Peltier (photo), an Indian man who was convicted of killing two FBI agents in 1975, was liberated from prison after former President Joe Biden converted his sentence
Peltier, 80, Coleman Penitentiary left an SUV in Florida, according to a prison officer. He did not stop talking to reporters or the approximately two dozen supporters who gathered outside the gates to celebrate his release with 'Free Leonard Peltier' flags and banners
Peltier, who is in poor health, is depicted above using a walker to board an airport at Leesburg airport while he was surrounded by photographers on Tuesday
Radio presenter Mark Levin also shot Biden as 'corrupt' for releasing Peltier when the commutation was announced last month.
“Joe Biden never met a murderer whose punishment he didn't want to commute,” he wrote on X on January 21.
'Apparently, if Leonard Peltier was a proud boy (I am certainly not a special plea for the proud boys), the media would be more angry with his commutation by Biden, despite the fact that Peltier was trapped for his role in his role in The cold -blooded murder of two wounded FBI agents. '
Others also condemned the commutation while they called Peltier a “cop killer.”
Nick Estes, a professor in the American Indian studies at the University of Minnesota and member of the Lower Brule Sioux -Stame who argued for Peltier's release, said he was racially profiled.
“He represents every person who was roughly founded by an agent, profiled, have harassed their children at school,” said Estes.
One of his lawyers, Jenipher Jones, said Peltier looked forward to going home.
“We are so enthusiastic about this moment,” Jones said for his release. “He is in good mood. He has the soul of a warrior. '
His supporters outside the prison, including some who waved flags with the text 'Free Leonard Peltier', were delighted.
“We never thought he would come out,” said Ray St. Clair, a member of the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa -Stame who traveled to Florida to be there for the release of Peltier.
'It shows that you should never give up hope. We can repair this from the damage caused. This is a start. '
Peltier is depicted that is led to a waiting helicopter in 1976 over the Okalla Prison Trainerfy
Special agents Jack Coler (right) and Ron Williams (left) were shot while searching for a suspect at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota on June 26, 1975
Peltier has attracted the attention of well -known public figures who have argued for his release, including his son Chauncey Peltier (photo), the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu and Pope Francis
Peltier was active in AIM, which was formed in the 1960s and fought for Indian treaty rights and tribal self -determination.
Peltier's conviction stem from a confrontation from 1975 at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota in which the two FBI agents were killed.
According to the FBI, Coler and Williams were there to serve arrest trips for theft and abuse with a dangerous weapon.
The prosecutors maintained during the process that Peltier shot both agents in the head on point-white range.
Peltier acknowledged that it was present and fired a gun at a distance, but he said he was shot out of self -defense and that his shots were not the ones who killed the agents.
A woman who claimed to see Peltier shoot the agents later brought back her witness and said it was forced.
He was convicted of two counts of murder in the first degree and received two consecutive lifelong penalties.
Two other AIM members, Robert Robideau and Dino Butler, were acquitted on the site of self-defense.
During his almost half a century in prison, Peltier claimed that he did not kill the FBI agents
Indians generally believe that he was a political prisoner who was wrongly convicted in 1977 because he fought for tribal rights as a member of the Indian movement
Peltier recently refused conditional release in July and was not eligible to be considered again until 2026.
Generations of indigenous activists and leaders lobbying several presidents for Pardon Peltier.
Former interior secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo van Laguna and the first Indian to hold the position of the secretary, praised Biden's decision.
As a young child, Peltier was taken from his family and sent to a boarding school.
Thousands of indigenous children were confronted with the same fate for decades and in many cases were subject to systemically physical, psychological and sexual abuse.
“He has not really had a home since he was taken to the boarding school,” said Nick Tilsen, who argues for Peltier's release since he was a teenager and CEO is from NDN Collective, a native interest group based in South Dakota.
“So he is excited to be at home and to paint and let grandchildren run around.”
