This week, former President Biden granted Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier clemency, and there’s new leadership at the Native Governance Center in Minneapolis.
TRANSCRIPT
Host Marie Rock: This is Minnesota Native News. I’m Marie Rock. This week, former President Biden granted Leonard Peltier clemency, and there’s new leadership at the Native Governance Center in Minneapolis. Here’s reporter CJ with more on Leonard Peltier.
Jason Goward: “There are some things that are worse than being killed…”
CJ Younger: Jason Goward is part of the Twin Ports American Indian Movement, or AIM.
Goward: …and that’s being in prison for 50 years, not being able to see or hold your family. And even at house arrest, at least he’ll be able to pass away with his family.”
Younger: Leonard Peltier was sentenced to prison at the age of 29. He’s now 80, and after spending the majority of his life in prison, the Biden administration has commuted his sentence.
Younger: He was convicted in the 1975 killings of FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He was one of three members of AIM initially charged with their murders.
Holly Cook Macarro: “When the government’s case fell apart, they changed the charges for Leonard, and he was convicted of aiding and abetting…
Younger: Holly Cook Macarro handles government affairs for the NDN Collective in South Dakota, and has worked on Peltier’s case for most of her career.
Macarro: “His trial was separate from Dino Butler and Bob Rubidoux, the two who were principally charged, and those two, in their trial, they were found not guilty for reasons of self defense. Leonard was convicted of aiding and abetting them, which was always, you know, one of our principal arguments about the justice in this case, that who did he aid and abet? If those were principally charged or found not guilty.”
Macarro: “At that time, the FBI was under a lot of pressure to ensure that someone was held responsible. And, you know, there was a sense that any Indian will do”
Younger: However,Biden’s decision to commute Peltier’s sentence is a contentious one. Peltier was denied parole in 1993, 2009 and 2024, and his requests for clemency were rejected by two presidents.
Younger: Accusations that he was involved in the murder of AIM member Anna Mae Aquash remain unresolved. Law enforcement representatives, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, have firmly opposed any granting of clemency for Peltier.
Younger: While Peltier will leave federal prison in February, he has not been pardoned. He will remain under house arrest in his home on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation.
Younger: Here’s what Peltier said shortly after learning about his commutation:
Leonard Peltier: “It’ll be like freedom—it’ll be just as good as freedom, if I’m home.”Younger: You can follow the NDN Collective—that’s NDN— for updates on Peltier. For Minnesota Native News, I’m CJ Younger
Rock: Next, reporter Travis Zimmerman discusses the Native Governance Center’s new leadership.
Amber Annis: We operate four programs, three of them are completely dedicated to working with tribal nations in native communities, strengthening indigenous self-governance and focusing on sovereignty. But we also have a really amazing program that’s around community engagement.
Travis Zimmerman: In December, Amber Annis, a Cheyenne River Sioux citizen, became only the second Executive Director of the Native Governance Center in their 10-year history.
The Native Governance Center began in 2015 and supports Native American changemakers, and elected Tribal officials.
Annis: We’re serving currently the 23 Native nations that share geography with Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. How are we going back to our own traditional kind of forms of self-governance…And so it was really these folks that were coming together saying, you know, I have such a profound love for my tribe. I have such a profound love for my people, but I also see that there’s some issues.
Zimmerman: The Native Governance Center plans to celebrate their second decade in existence by hosting a community engagement event.
Annis: So, this summer, something I’m really excited about, is we are celebrating 10 years of Native Governance Center work. I’m really excited about that milestone, celebrating 10 years of the Native Governance Center. Check out our website for more information on our programs.
Zimmerman: This is Travis Zimmerman for Minnesota Native News.
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