Here is the telephone campaign instructions and the sample letters for the current campaign to free Leonard Peltier. February 6 will be a prime time to begin implementing these plans into action. Let us know how it goes

Dear Friends,

Let us start this letter by thanking everyone for the incredible work they did for Leonard throughout the fall. It was a long hard pull and everyone made a lot of sacrifices of sleep, time, leg work and phone call bills, but we are seeing real results. The human rights network in Washington DC is now very much back on the case as an urgent and current issue; and this is very important to us since these people work on a daily basis with members of Congress and often have access to important White House contacts. One friend is already pushing hard with a high level official she has known for years. We got word from insider contacts that certain other officials were strongly urging President Clinton to give clemency, a situation that provoked the predictable rage from the FBI. We know for a fact that the White House telephone campaign played a real role in putting the pressure on all of these people. For those of you who participated, good job! Meanwhile, old friends from across country began to tune in as well, and contacted us with new clues and information and offers of support, all of which have been very helpful.

Perhaps most importantly, Native supporters, leaders, artists, and friends from across the U.S. and Canada arrived in DC to help out, re-connect, and deepen their commitment to the campaign for Leonard Peltier’s release. So much for the FBI claim that Leonard is a ‘nobody’, and that Native people do not support him! For more information about who participated, and some of our plans for the spring, take a look at our report on the web site. Meanwhile, the Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine and his delegation has visited with Leonard in person, and a delegation of Nobel Peace Prize laureates is expected in February to press for Leonard’s release as well. We are working on other delegations as well as some legal strategies, and will get back to everyone soon on all of the plans. In short, things are definitely heating up. Although Clinton did not grant clemency over Christmas, he could do so at any time during the coming year. A good bet is right after the elections, especially his wife’s. But we do not have to wait until then: the parole board will consider Leonard’s case again this coming May. We should keep the pressure going right now to release Leonard at once, either through clemency or parole.

There are many ways for each and every one of to help, and Leonard needs each and every one of us. For those of us with full time jobs and families, there is much critically important work to be done in your home region:

We need to crank up our national telephone campaign to a much higher decibel level. Last fall was a very good start, but the pressure has to increase and remain constant, so they know that we are not just around for a little while, and that no one is about to forget about Leonard. US officials need to know that we are here to stay, and that they had better do something if they want to stay in office, or get into office during an election year.

We have known for a while that if thirty calls about a certain issue go to the White House comments line on the same day, a note goes upstairs to the President. Thirty calls is not all that much, but it is in fact hard to get most average citizens to take these calls seriously...because they are convinced that no one pays any attention. So our first task, as always, is to organize. We want to go for one hundred calls a day to the White House during these months before Leonard’s parole hearing. This does not mean each one of us needs to call every single day although that would be great if you have the time to do this. However, we only need each of you to organize a calling session for once a week. We need one hundred calls to go in each day from a given region of the US. The northeast people call on Mondays. The southeast calls on Tuesdays, the mid-west calls on Wednesday, the northwest calls on Thursday and the southwest calls on Friday.

Each one of us needs to organize a small committee of friends to call on their day of the week. Once a week is enough, but you must convince your friends and family that they must really call, not just think about calling. This means getting them really mad about the case, and explaining to them that their calls really do have impact, and that these efforts are not a waste of time. Experience tells us that these calls are effective. Jennifer Harbury heard from US officials that the massive calling sessions during her hunger strikes in Guatemala played a critical role in forcing government action. The feedback from last fall was really good as well. Our friends in Congress have also let us know that a high volume of calls shows them that their voters are really interested in a given issue. If dozens of calls start coming in on the same issue, they pay careful attention. So for those of you who have limited time and want to help, please know how much your calls really matter. Try and get a group of ten committed people going in your area. Remind everyone each week to make their calls and ask them to let you know at the end of the day how the calls went. Getting feedback from our teams really helps us plan our strategies.

Most people will feel more confident and involved if you give them some basic information before they start calling. Give them the six page fact summary to read, if they don’t have time for one of the books. It is available on our web site, or you can call and ask us to mail it to you.

As for the message itself, we are shifting gears just a bit so, as to best take advantage of the coming parole hearing. We have just a few months to push for this, so we need to get going. The issues are slightly different from the arguments we have made for clemency…since it is not up to the parole board to decide if Leonard is guilty or innocent, (that is up to the courts)...but rather, whether or not he qualifies for parole, based on a number of special factors. So here is a summary of the most important points to make during your calls.

1. White House Comments Line Calls 202-456-1111 (press 0 to bypass taped message)

Call the White House Comments line and leave a careful message with the operator. It does not matter whether this person sounds interested or sympathetic; his or her job is to note down the number of calls and send the message on upstairs. They will not give us much time to talk, so try to get in the following key points :

a. You are calling to ask that President Clinton contact the United States Parole Commission and voice his support for parole for Leonard Peltier.

b. Leonard is many years overdue for parole, and has served longer than most other prisoners with similar convictions. He has been a model prisoner for 24 years, with no record of violence.

c. Leonard Peltier has long contributed to humanitarian efforts by raising scholarship monies, serving on the advisory board to the Rosenberg Fund for Children, doing an annual Christmas drive for the people of the Pine Ridge reservation, assisting the people of Chiapas, sponsoring children in Guatemala and El Salvador, setting up Native American entrepreneurial programs, and a newspaper, organizing prisoner art programs and much more. He has also received many human rights awards for his efforts.

d. Leonard Peltier is now in deteriorating health and cannot receive adequate medical care in prison. He should be released for medical and humanitarian reasons.

e. As we all know, there is disturbing evidence that the FBI falsified the evidence against him during his trial. Leonard was extradited on the basis of a false affidavit signed by Myrtle Poor Bear, who had been threatened by the FBI. The younger witnesses at trial had all been severely intimidated. The FBI also concealed a ballistics test showing that the fatal bullet was never fired from the rifle claimed to belong to Mr. Peltier. The FBI agents also changed their description of the vehicle involved in the shoot out, so as to better link Mr. Peltier to the skirmish. Even the U.S. Attorney has admitted that no one knows who pulled the trigger on June 26, 1975. An innocent man has now been imprisoned for 24 years.

f. Mr. Clinton made a grave mistake by not granting clemency to Mr.Peltier. We hope he will correct this error at once by contacting the parole commission and supporting Mr. Peltierıs release. Time is running out.

2. Calls to Congress 202-224-3121 :

If your group is willing to make additional calls, please ask them to call your Congresspersons and educate them about this case. The switchboard will connect you to the main office, and you should ask to speak with the legislative aid in charge of civil rights issues in the U.S. Tell them that you want urgent action taken on Leonard Peltier’s behalf, and that you would like them to support both clemency and parole in this case. The basic points are the same as the ones to make during the White House calls. You should also ask them to hold hearings on FBI abuses in this case. If they need further information, send them the 6-page fact summary on our web site, or call us at 785-842-5774 and we will send you a packet of support letters and other materials.

We are in the process of organizing a Dear Colleague letter supporting parole, to be signed by as many members as possible of both Houses. As soon as we have our initial sponsor, we will put the letter on our web site and ask you to press for your rep to add his or her signature to the letter. This will be very very important as well. We want at least 100 signatures. It will mean a lot of work but will be well worth it. We will also be sending a special request to those of you living in the districts of sympathetic reps. asking them to BE our initial sponsor.

3. Telephone campaign to the Department of Justice:

If people would like to also call or fax a brief message to the offices of Janet Reno, this would also be helpful. The correct number is 202-305-1400. The basic message should be quite brief and courteous, as we want her to investigate FBI conduct in this case, and most importantly, to support Leonardıs clemency and parole petitions. Here are the most important points:

a. We would like for Janet Reno to communicate with the US Parole Commission and express her full support for parole for Mr.Peltier

b. Mr. Peltier has been in prison for 24 years and has an excellent record. He has participated in many humanitarian efforts, including the annual Christmas drive for Pine Ridge Reservation, a his work for Native American scholarships, entrepreneurial programs and Native American newspapers, his sponsorship of Central American children, and his service as an advisory board member to the Rosenberg Fund for Children. He is nevertheless long overdue for parole, and has served more time than most other prisoners convicted of the same crimes. We want this matter resolved as soon as possible.

c. Mr. Peltier is in deteriorating health and cannot receive adequate medical care in prison.

d. There is disturbing evidence that the FBI in fact coerced and intimidated witnesses, utilized false testimonies, and concealed a ballistics test reflecting his innocence. FBI agents also changed their description of the vehicle involved in the shoot out so, as to unjustly implicate Mr. Peltier. The result of this FBI misconduct has been that Leonard Peltier has spent 24 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Time is running out for setting this matter straight.

e. Accordingly, we ask that Ms. Reno fully and publicly support Mr. Peltier’s petition for parole; that she take urgent steps to assure that the FBI and other Justice officials will not improperly obstruct his parole as they have in the past; and that she immediately call for a full investigation of FBI abuses in this case.

II. LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF PAROLE

It is also really important that everyone write letters supporting Leonard’s petition for parole. In the past there have always been a number of letters written for him: so we need to get far more such letters this year. These can be quite simple, and should just cover the basic points important for parole decisions. A sample letter is set forth here. Feel free to use it, but its even better if you can write one in your own words. The lawyers urge that the tone be courteous and concise (after all, the number one goal is to get the man OUT NOW). Then get as many friends to sign similar letters as you can. Carry a sheaf of spare letters with you. The best is to get one signature per letter, not petition form, our insider friends tell us.

Most important, PLEASE SEND THE LETTERS BACK TO US HERE!! We will compile

them all together and get them bound for Carl Nadler, the parole attorney for Leonard. That way he can present stacks of letters all at the same time. This will be more impressive than having them trickle in. We will keep copies for use with Congress, the press, White House contacts etc, as well.

SAMPLE LETTER:

To: The United States Parole Commission

Dear Commissioners,

As a concerned citizen of this country, I am writing to express my full support for parole for Mr. Leonard Peltier. Mr. Peltier is a Native American leader who has now been incarcerated for some 24 years. He has served far longer than most prisoners convicted of similar crimes, and his conduct in prison has been excellent. I would be honored to receive him in my own home when he is released.

I am particularly impressed with the many good deeds Mr. Peltier has carried out during his many years behind bars. He has worked with medical experts to improve health care delivery on the reservations, and has helped to establish an entrepreneur program for talented Native youth. He was instrumental in setting up a Native American scholarship program at New York University, and helped start up a Native American newspaper in Washington State. He has sponsored two children in rural El Salvador and Guatemala, and runs annual clothing and toy drives for the people of Pine Ridge Reservation, half way houses, and women’s centers. He has also played a key role in assisting other prisoners’ display their art work across country, in order to promote prisoner art programs and increase prisoner self-confidence and esteem. This man has proven himself to be a compassionate human being and a true leader. I am especially concerned with Mr. Peltier’s deteriorating health. He is now 55 years old, and suffers from a heart condition as well as diabetes. He has lost most of the vision in one eye due to poor medical care. He also has a jaw condition, which causes him constant pain and prevents him from moving his jaw or chewing his food. Mayo Clinic specialist, Dr. Keller has offered free treatment in prison facilities has weigh in favor of parole.

Sincerely,

We also need to start stockpiling general letters of support from every community organization we can reach. This has a double benefit. First, it educated these organizations about Leonard’s case, and pulls them into our support network; and second, during an election year it is very important to have piles of CURRENT letters on letterheads that represent large numbers of angry voters. This letter should just be addressed to "all concerned US officials". That way we can use them for our work with Congress, meetings with Janet Reno, and our efforts to work with the White House and Presidential Wannabees.

AGAIN, PLEASE KEEP A COPY OF THE LETTER AND SEND US THE ORIGINALS SO WE CAN COMPILE A BOUND COPY OF THEM AND SEND COPIES ALL OUT TOGETHER TO OFFICIALS WE ARE TRYING TO REACH.

A sample letter is set forth here but feel free to change it or have the community group change it or start from scratch as they wish.

The challenge here is to go to every labor union, civic group, student group, religious organization or congregation, lawyers or doctors’ organizations, women’s association, civil rights group etc., in your community that you can reach. Have them put the letter on their letterhead paper and send it back to us. If you know a person of status, such as a well-known local religious leader, or professor etc., an individual letter is also good. (While you are at it, have them all join you’re delegation to visit your congressperson and senators. Make sure you have our fact sheet with you and other support letters as well. Again, these are on our web site, but if you need us to mail them to you, just give us a call.

To: All Concerned United States Officials

We wish to express our grave concern about the case of Mr. Leonard Peltier, a Native American leader who has now been incarcerated for some 24 years here in the United States. He has long been recognized as a political prisoner, by such human rights luminaries as, Amnesty International, the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and, the Dalai Lama, the Archbishop of Canterbury and many others. He has the massive support of the Native American people of this country. More than any other person, he has come to symbolize the tragic and disturbing relationship between the United States government and its own Native citizenry.

We are particularly disquieted by the clear indications of FBI misconduct in the prosecution of this case. Specifically, Mr. Peltier was extradited from Canada on the basis of an affidavit signed by a Ms. Myrtle Poor Bear, who claimed to be an eyewitness to the murders in question. She later admitted that she had never met Mr. Peltier, and had signed only after being terrorized by FBI officials. However, she was not permitted to testify about this matter at his trial. The other young trial witnesses were intimidated and coerced as well by FBI officers. Moreover, at the trial a key FBI witness changed his long-standing description of the vehicle involved in the shoot out, so as to unjustly link Mr. Peltier to the scene. Perhaps most chillingly, the FBI concealed from the defense a ballistic test report reflecting Mr. Peltier’s innocence. It would seem clear enough that a gifted Native American leader has just served twenty-four years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Despite the above, Mr. Peltier has been denied a new trial and is now overdue for parole. He has served more time than most prisoners convicted of the same crimes. His conduct in prison has been exemplary and he has participated in numerous humanitarian and civic activities from behind bars. By way of illustration, he has helped to establish Native American scholarships, and special programs for Native American youth. He has served on the advisory board of the Rosenberg Fund for Children, and has sponsored children in Central America, organized the annual Christmas drive for the people of Pine Ridge Reservation, and promoted prisoner art programs. He is clearly a man of great compassion, and should have been set free long ago through the mechanisms of parole or clemency.

Lastly, we note that Mr. Peltier is now 55 years of age and in deteriorating health. He suffers from a heart condition as well as diabetes. He has lost most of the vision in one eye due to poor medical care. He also has a jaw condition, which causes him constant pain and makes it impossible to chew his food properly or move his jaw. The prison medical staff has been unable to treat Mr. Peltier. Although a Mayo Clinic specialist has offered to assist, free of charge, within prison facilities, authorization has been denied.

Soon it will be too late for justice in this tragic case. Should Mr. Peltier become disabled or die in prison, the damage to our relations with our Native American citizens will be irreversible. We ask that urgent action be taken to set Mr. Peltier free at long last so that he may share his gifts with his beloved people. We also ask that a thorough investigation of FBI misconduct in this case, and indeed with respect to the residents of Pine Ridge Reservation, be carried out at once. Until there is justice for all, our most dearly held concepts of democracy remain at risk.

Respectfully,

Call the White House Comments Line Today

Demand Justice for Leonard Peltier! 202-456-1111

Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
PO Box 583
Lawrence, KS 66044
785-842-5774
www.freepeltier.org

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