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F:\Cable\Data_Source\Cables\CD027\OCT97\MSGS\M2960161.html Page 1 of 2 Cable PREC: ROUTINE CLASS: UNCLASSIFIED LINE1: RAAUZYUW RUEHCAA6612 2760126-UUUU--RHEHAAX. LINE2: ZNR UUUUU ZZH LINE3: R 030121Z OCT 97 LINE4: FM SECSTATE WASHDC OSRI: RUEHC DTG: 030121Z OCT 97 ORIG: SECSTATE WASHDC TO: AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 7524 INFO: 1111 SUBJ: INFORMATION ON THE LEONARD PELTIER CASE TEXT: UNCLAS STATE 186612 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM, PREL, SF SUBJECT: INFORMATION ON THE LEONARD PELTIER CASE REF: 97 PRETORIA 9957 1. POST MAY DRAW ON THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ABOUT THE LEONARD PELTIER CASE IN RESPONDING TO THE SAG REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE PELTIER CASE. DETAILS OF PELTIER CASE 2. LEONARD PELTIER WAS CONVICTED OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN THE SHOOTING DEATHS IN 1975 OF TWO FBI SPECIAL AGENTS, RONALD A. WILLIAMS AND JACK R. COLER. THEY WERE AMBUSHED AND WOUNDED AS THEY SEARCHED FOR A ROBBERY SUSPECT (NOT PELTIER) ON THE PINE RIDGE INDIAN RESERVATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA, THEN SHOT TO DEATH AT POINT-BLANK RANGE. LATER THAT DAY, A GUN BATTLE ENSUED BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS, RESPNDING TO THE FBI AGENTS' CALLS FOR HELP SENT PRIOR TO THEIR DEATHS, AND NATIVE AMERICANS ON THE RESERVATION. DURING THIS EXCHANGE, A NATIVE AMERICAN WAS KILLED. PELTIER IS CURRENTLY SERVING TWO CONSECUTIVE LIFE SENTENCES. 3. THE LATEST REVIEW HEARING BY THE COMMISSION ON THE PELTIER CASE TOOK PLACE IN DECEMBER 1995. THE REVIEW HEARING EXAMINER RECOMMENDED THAT PELTIER SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED A PAROLE. ALTHOUGH THE HEARING EXAMINER ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMISSION REEVALUATE PELTIER'S ROLE IN THE MURDERS, THE COMMISSION FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO NEW INFORMATION TO JUSTIFY ALTERING ITS EARLIER CONCLUSION THAT PELTIER HAD PERSONALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE SLAYING OF THE TWO AGENTS. THE COMMISSION CITED THE EXTREME GRAVITY OF THE CASE. IN ADDITION, THE COMMISSION ORDERED A FULL