Research Paper On The Leonard Peltier Trial

Angalina Taylor, 4/9/23, HIS-152-O02

The Leonard Peltier Trial and the aftermath of the initial trial lasted from February 1976 till April 2005. Leonard Peltier should not have been convicted with extreme punishments for his alleged crimes due to biases from the court and law enforcement and inconsistent and incorrect information- Interviews with investigators and witnesses, government memos, and reports accounting for the event. There will also be trial excerpts, including testimonies and affidavits from the people involved.
The Leonard Peltier trial was subject to racism and bias from law enforcement officers and court officials. During Leonard's sentencing statement, he stated that the law has always been prejudiced against Native Americans,

The evidence presented should be enough to get a retrial, but the court repeatedly denies peltier a chance to redeem himself. "The Eighth Circuit also rejected Peltier's laundry list of objections to the Fargo trial and upheld the conviction. In February 1979, the Supreme Court refused to review Peltier's case." (Petier Trail, The Leonard Peltier Trial: An Account, pg 10). The eighth circuit should have taken his case for appeal because all of the evidence used to extricate peltier was later taken back and unusable in the actual trial proceedings and the contradictory Fbi investigations. The public was already split about Peltier's guilt because of his past convictions and actions as a Native American rights advocate. The Myrtle poor bear statement was not used because the mental torture Myrtle was subjected to would shock the jury and American people's consciousness (Peltier Trail, Sentencing statement of Leonard Peltier pg 2). It would have given Peltier's case a better chance if it were believed. If the court were to give an appeal or review, it would imply that there were bias and corruption in the judicial system, which would be a bad look for the system, and by grating him his request, it would be them admitting the flaws. It is a law that a person's past crimes can not be used against them in a trial if it is not

Peltier gave his account of how he was treated and expressed how disgusted he was by the tolerance of his treatment while he was jailed when he listed his abuse, "One, I was denied access to a phone to call my attorneys concerning my appeal. Two, I was locked in solitary confinement without shower facilities, soap, towels, sheets, or pillow. Three, the food was uneatable, what little there was." he was also denied visitation from his family and close friends. (Peltier Trail, Sentencing statement of Leonard Peltier pg 2). This treatment would be considered abuse had it occurred in a domestic setting, like towards a partner or a child, and there would have been an arrest for abuse, but because these events took place in prison, they were treated as if they were justified. It is also a right that people have the right to communicate with their attorney about the status of their case. It was never specified what Peltier was in solitary confinement for, but even then, he should have been given a place to sleep with the bare necessities. Peltier also said that the chief deputy was a fascist and acted like a stormtrooper (Peltier Trail, Sentencing statement of Leonard Peltier pg 2). This statement implies that the chief deputy was ruthless and racially biased, which would have worsened the peltiers' experience. The