Biden commutes life sentence of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, 80
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Native American activist spent half a century in prison over 1975 murder of two FBI agents in South Dakota. Joe Biden commuted the life sentence of the Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, convicted of the 1975 murder of two FBI agents in South Dakota, moments before handing over power to Donald Trump on Monday.
Peltier, who has spent half a century in federal prison, is said to be in poor health and would have not come up for parole until 2026 after being denied release in July last year. In a White House statement, Biden said he was commuting Peltier’s life sentence so that he can serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement.
“He is now 80 years old, suffers from severe health ailments, and has spent the majority of his life (nearly half a century) in prison. This commutation will enable Mr Peltier to spend his remaining days in home confinement but will not pardon him for his underlying crimes,” the statement read.
The commutation order noted that commutation for the Native American activist, who was convicted of killing two federal agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and escaping from federal prison, was widely supported. “Tribal Nations, Nobel Peace laureates, former law enforcement officials (including the former US attorney whose office oversaw Mr Peltier’s prosecution and appeal), dozens of lawmakers, and human rights organizations strongly support granting Mr Peltier clemency, citing his advanced age, illnesses, his close ties to and leadership in the Native American community, and the substantial length of time he has already spent in prison,” it read.
