Leonard Peltier, an 80-year-old Native American activist, is transitioning to house arrest after nearly 50 years in prison for the 1975 deaths of two FBI agents. His commutation, granted by President Biden, highlights ongoing debates about his controversial conviction and the broader struggles of Native American rights. Despite multiple appeals and famous supporters, including Nelson Mandela, Peltier’s latest parole request was denied, yet he will now spend his remaining sentence within his community in North Dakota.
Leonard Peltier’s Long Journey to House Arrest
After spending nearly five decades behind bars, Leonard Peltier, now 80 years old and in frail health, is set to complete the remainder of his sentence at home. The renowned Native American activist was convicted in 1977 for the tragic deaths of two FBI agents two years earlier. Just a month prior to the conclusion of his sentence, President Joe Biden granted him a reprieve, transitioning his life sentence to house arrest. Supporters of Peltier have long argued that his conviction was a result of a flawed case.
A Commutation That Made History
The announcement of Peltier’s commutation went largely unnoticed amidst a flurry of pardons issued by Biden during his final hours in office on January 20. While the country was anticipating Donald Trump’s return, Peltier’s case remains a significant narrative in the United States, symbolizing broader struggles beyond the Native American community. Throughout his imprisonment, numerous Democratic leaders advocated for his cause, yet it took until Biden’s last day for a sitting president to finally reduce Peltier’s sentence.
The incident that led to his arrest took place on June 26, 1975, when two young FBI agents, Ronald Arthur Williams and Jack Ross Coler, were fatally shot on the Oglala Indian reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. They were tracking Jimmy Eagle for delinquency and unexpectedly encountered a vehicle carrying three Native American activists, including Peltier, resulting in a confrontation.
Peltier, a member of the Chippewa tribe, had gone to Pine Ridge as part of the American Indian Movement to help alleviate tensions in the area. At the time of the incident, he was wanted for a homicide charge he was later exonerated from, a fact seemingly unknown to the FBI agents involved.
Initially involved in various jobs, Peltier dedicated himself to advocating for Native American civil rights, a movement that gained traction in the late 1960s alongside the civil rights efforts of African Americans.
Over the years, narratives surrounding the events at Pine Ridge have diverged significantly between the prosecution and defense. The killings occurred during a period of intense surveillance and harassment of Native American activists by the FBI, following notable political actions, including the 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee by the American Indian Movement.
Considered the shooter responsible for the agents’ deaths, Peltier was apprehended in Canada in February 1976 and subsequently sentenced to two consecutive life terms in June 1977. While the prosecution claimed he shot the agents at close range, Peltier maintained that he acted in self-defense from a distance. His co-defendants were acquitted using the same defense strategy.
Despite several appeals and requests for parole—eligible since 1993—Peltier’s pleas have been consistently denied. Calls for his release have persisted over the decades, with supporters ranging from public figures like Danielle Mitterrand and Nelson Mandela to celebrities like Robert Redford and Bruce Springsteen advocating for his cause.
Although his most recent parole request was denied in July 2024, preventing him from reapplying until 2026, he was not fully pardoned for his convictions. Biden faced criticism, particularly from the FBI, regarding the commutation. Former FBI Director Christopher Wray labeled Peltier a “remorseless killer” and argued that any sentence reduction would be “unjustified and an affront to the law,” as reported by the Seattle Times.
In contrast, Amnesty International has long deemed Peltier a political prisoner, expressing disappointment that he was not simply released but placed under house arrest instead. Leonard Peltier was finally released from Coleman prison near Orlando on February 18, 2025, marking a significant moment in the aftermath of the Pine Ridge incident. He will now serve the remainder of his sentence surrounded by his community in Belcourt, North Dakota, within the Chippewa tribe.