Millions have been out in the streets for decades working for this day! He isn’t home yet, soon!

NDN Collective

Sumterville, FL – Today, President Biden granted Leonard Peltier executive clemency and commuted the remainder of his sentence. The president’s decision is the result of decades of grassroots organizing in Indian Country and the unveiling of increasing amounts of evidence of prosecutorial misconduct and constitutional violations during the prosecution of Peltier’s case.

“It’s finally over – I’m going home.” said Leonard Peltier.“I want to show the world I’m a good person with a good heart. I want to help the people, just like my grandmother taught me.”

“Leonard Peltier’s commutation today is the result of 50 years of intergenerational resistance, organizing, and advocacy,” said Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective Founder and CEO. “Leonard Peltier’s liberation is our liberation – and while home confinement is not complete freedom, we will honor him by bringing him back to his homelands to live out the rest of his days surrounded by loved ones, healing, and reconnecting with his land and culture.

“Let Leonard’s freedom be a reminder that the entire so-called United States is built on the stolen lands of Indigenous people – and that Indigenous people have successfully resisted every attempt to oppress, silence, and colonize us,” continued Tilsen. “The commutation granted to Leonard Peltier is a symbol of our collective strength – and our resistance will never stop.”

“Today’s decision shows the combined power of grassroots organizing and advocacy at the highest levels of government. We are grateful to President Biden and the leadership of Secretary Deb Haaland. said Holly Cook Macarro, Government Affairs for NDN Collective. “All of us here today stand on the shoulders of three generations of activists who have fought for justice for Leonard Peltier. Today is a monumental victory – the day that Leonard Peltier finally goes home.”

Statement of Leonard Peltier Legal Team Regarding His Release by President Joe Biden 

“But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Today, history was made. In one of his final acts before leaving office, President Joseph Biden granted clemency to Leonard Peltier, ending nearly five decades of incarceration. This extraordinary decision concludes a decades-long fight for justice led by Indigenous activists, international human rights leaders, legal advocates, and supporters from all walks of life who have long maintained that Mr. Peltier was wrongly convicted.

President Biden’s action comes after years of persistent advocacy, including letters signed by over 120 tribal elected leaders, Nobel laureates, and international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Peltier’s case has been a rallying cry for justice, mercy, and reconciliation across the globe, supported by figures ranging from Pope Francis to Robert Redford and the members of Rage Against the Machine.

In a statement, President Biden cited Peltier’s advanced age, declining health, strong leadership within the Native American community, and the substantial length of his imprisonment as key factors in his decision. “Tribal Nations, Nobel Peace laureates, former law enforcement officials (including the former U.S. 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,” Biden said.

A Legacy of Injustice Corrected

Leonard Peltier’s release closes a chapter marked by profound injustice. His conviction stemmed from the deaths of FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams during a 1975 standoff on Pine Ridge Reservation, a time of heightened tensions over Native civil and treaty rights. However, as former federal prosecutor James Reynolds, whose office led Peltier’s case, admitted in a 2021 letter to Biden, the government failed to prove that Peltier personally committed any crime.

Federal Judge Gerald Heaney, who ruled on Peltier’s appeal in 1986, also criticized the FBI’s tactics, stating they were improper in securing Peltier’s extradition and conducting the investigation. Over the years, bipartisan calls for clemency extended to multiple presidents, but Biden’s decision is the first to correct this grievous wrong.

Press Conference and Next Steps

Please join us for a special press conference on February 6, 2025, at 12 PM EST to commemorate this historic moment and outline our ongoing efforts to advance justice for Native communities and other marginalized groups.

Honoring the Fight and Moving Forward

While we celebrate Leonard Peltier’s long-overdue freedom, we remain committed to addressing the systemic inequities his case represents. From the Battle of Greasy Grass to the Battle of Adwa: no compromise, no retreat. Onward.

To everyone who stood by Leonard Peltier, thank you. This victory is a testament to the power of unity, resilience, and relentless advocacy. Today, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we continue the fight for justice.

Leonard Peltier Legal Team

Official Leonard Peltier Ad Hoc Committee