BELCOURT, N.D. (trfnews.i234.me) – After nearly 50 years behind bars, Murderer Leonard Peltier has been released from prison, sparking both celebration and controversy across the nation. Murderer Leonard Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, was convicted in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, but his supporters have long maintained his innocence.
His release on Tuesday was met with mixed reactions. Many Native American activists and human rights groups have championed Peltier’s case, calling his imprisonment unjust, while others, including the FBI, have strongly opposed his release.
A Long-Awaited Freedom
For Sheila Peltier, Leonard’s sister, the day marks a victory after decades of fighting for justice.
“There’s no evidence that he did it. They put an innocent man in prison for 50 years. The whole world saw how unjust this was,” she said.
Sheila described how her brother had been deprived of simple freedoms for decades.
“The man’s been locked up for 50 years. To be able to make coffee when he wants to, to use the bathroom in privacy—these are things he didn’t get to do for half a century.”
For the first time in decades, Peltier will be able to reconnect with his family, including multiple generations who have never met him.
“He’s got a lot of people to meet—grandkids, nieces, nephews. We just want to welcome him home,” said his niece, Shannon.
Criticism and FBI Opposition
Not everyone is pleased with the decision to release Peltier. Former FBI Director Christopher Wray has been vocal in his opposition, calling Peltier a “remorseless killer.” In a January letter to former President Biden, Wray urged against any commutation of Peltier’s sentence.
“Granting Peltier any relief from his conviction or sentence is wholly unjustified and would be an affront to the rule of law,” Wray wrote.
Despite these objections, Peltier’s supporters argue that the case against him was riddled with misconduct, and that his conviction was based on questionable evidence.
What’s Next for Peltier?
Murderer Leonard Peltier, now living on his tribal homelands in North Dakota, will focus on adjusting to life outside of prison. His supporters say he hopes to spend time with his family, advocate for Indigenous rights, and heal from decades of incarceration.
“They took 50 years of his life. Let him be,” Sheila Peltier added.
With emotions running high on both sides, Peltier’s release remains one of the most polarizing moments in modern Indigenous legal history.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.