President Joe Biden on Monday granted clemency to Leonard Peltier, an 80-year-old American Indian Movement activist who had spent nearly five decades in prison. Biden cited Peltier’s age and health. For many in Indian Country, this was not just the release of a single man but an act of justice for Native people long denied fairness in the American legal system. Peltier’s case — fraught with allegations of prosecutorial misconduct and systemic discrimination — has been a rallying point for Native advocates worldwide. His clemency ends decades of efforts by Tribal nations, activists and allies.

Peltier’s story

Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, was convicted in 1977 for the deaths of two FBI agents during a 1975 shootout on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. While Peltier maintained his innocence, his trial was marked by troubling issues, including alleged coerced testimonies, withheld exculpatory evidence, and one juror who admitted during questioning that she hated Indians. His imprisonment became a symbol of the fraught relationship between the U.S. government and Native people. For many, Peltier’s case highlighted the systemic injustices faced by tribal communities, making his clemency an act of overdue justice.

In his 1999 memoir, Peltier admitted to participating in the shootout but denied killing the agents. 

The commutation of his sentence has been celebrated across Indian Country as a victory for advocacy and perseverance. Nick Tilsen, CEO of NDN Collective, said, “Leonard Peltier’s liberation is our liberation.” Yet, his release also reignited controversy. Critics, including law enforcement groups, argue that clemency disregards the tragic loss of the FBI agents. Others, such as the family of AIM member Anna Mae Aquash, whose unsolved death raised questions about Peltier’s involvement, express unresolved pain and doubt about accountability within the American Indian Movement. 

Peltier’s clemency stands as a testament to the collective power of Indigenous nations and their allies. On Jan. 13, 2025, more than 120 tribal leaders sent a letter to President Biden urging clemency for Peltier. The letter emphasized Peltier’s status as a boarding school survivor, an elder in declining health, and someone whose case symbolized systemic inequities in the U.S. justice system. Among the signatories was Lora Ann Chiasson of the United Houma Nation in Louisiana.

Indian Country is comprised of more than 574 sovereign federally-recognized nations (and many more state-recognized). At a time when divisions plague much of the United States, Native nations offer a model of how diverse peoples can work together to support justice and the common good.

President Biden’s decision to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier is one of many actions marking his administration’s commitment to Native issues. From appointing Deb Haaland as the first Native American Secretary of the Interior to significant investments in tribal infrastructure and efforts to address the trauma of boarding schools, Biden’s presidency highlights a legacy of engagement with Indigenous nations.

Many consider the clemency of Leonard Peltier as a victory for Indian Country. If sovereign Indigenous nations can unite to bring about meaningful change, why can’t the rest of the nation move beyond partisan divides and self-interest to support the common good for all.

As Peltier transitions to home confinement, his freedom represents a beacon of hope for many Native people and their allies.

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Brandi Liberty is an enrolled member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas & Nebraska and a descendant of the United Houma Nation in Southern Louisiana. She is the owner of The Luak Group and its subsidiary...