I don't know how many of you know who Leonard Peltier is.

He is a Native American prisoner in Leavenworth, Kansas. Generally regarded as a political prisoner for a crime he never committed... (Killing an FBI agent at the Wounded Knee standoff)

See:

<www.freepeltier.org/story.htm>


Anyway, on June 26th, it will be 27 years since he has been held in captivity.

And on July 1, 2002, his next interim parole hearing will be held!

He has written a book, that is SO INSPIRATIONAL!!

It's called PRISON WRITINGS; MY LIFE IS MY SUN DANCE. Check it out at your local library. It has mindboggling poetry and letters in it, all of which feel like they are written directly to you, the reader.

The man is astounding.

Letters of support can go directly to Mr. Peltier at:

Leonard Peltier,
#89637-132,
P.O. Box 1000,
Leavenworth, KS,
66048

Menolly

THANKS MENOLLY

I know about Leonard and I hope he'll be set free, because I'm convinced he didn't commit the crime

That's good news that he's hanging in there. Thanks for the info.

Menolly,

Thanks for the update on Leonard. The last I heard was when he was being considered for a pardon by Clinton, but then the FBI had a kniption fit, & put a squash on that idea.

The first movie I ever worked on (while still in school), was supposed to be about Leonard Peltier, so we did alot of research on his case before we went. Once we got to Pine Ridge we came across a more intriguing story (producer/directors words), about a woman AIM activist from Canada who was living on the reservation. She was supposedly taken out & killed by the FBI or some government agency. So we ended up making a documentary about her. Her name was Annie Mae. The documentary won some awards, & was financed by some famouse people. I'm glad I got to work on it but, I still wish I would have been able to do a story on Peltier. --------Ken

Ken,

Is there anything I know about that you DON'T know about? This is getting eerie...

~~~~~~~~~~

Which Anna Mae did you do your film on. Anna Mae Pictou Aquash, (from Nova Scotia) or Anna Mae Tonaquodle (from Oklahoma).

What a strange story Aquash's death was, huh? All the allegations of executions, the first FBI autopsy results that said she died of exposure, then the FBI's severing her hands supposedly to aid in (fingerprint) identification. Then all the exhumations, whereupon they finally discovered "Oops. She was shot through the back of the head" with no explanation of how the first coroner could have missed that little fact...

Is she STILL buried as "Jane Doe", or was she returned to her family in Canada?

~~~~~~~~

As for you doing a movie on Leonard, well, he's still alive. You're still alive. So it's still possible.

You know he almost died a couple years back, during surgery on his jawbone. He needed FIVE PINTS of blood during that surgery, and hasn't been able to eat, or talk properly since. Still he refuses special diets etc. because he'll take no favours from the prison service, thank you very much!

I'd love to see your movie on Anna Mae. How can I get a copy?

Menolly

Menolly,

LOL, I'm just one of those wierd people who know a little about a lot.

The documentary was on Anna Mae Aquash, I believe she was from the ogalala tribe. I could be wrong. This was all over 20 years ago. I don't know how shes burried.

All the things you said were true, but also the last people she was seen with were FBI agents, or government agents posing as FBI agents.

I was doing the sound on the documentary. Film is not really my area. I would work on a film on Leonard, but It's not in my ability to initiate or produce one.

While in school to be a recording engineer we had to take a class on a field not related to our specialty. My specialty is studio recording, although I have done live shows, & some location sound for films. Most of the film work I do now is studio work for sound tracks, foley work, voice overs, etc. Even that is not very often.

The main reason I did the film was because I liked the woman producing/directing it, so I had ulterior motives.

The documentary was shown for awhile, but has been out of circulation for years. I'm still in contact with the lady who did the movie, & I'm sure (though no positive) she has had it transfered to VHS tape. Thats a great Idea, I should contact her & see about getting a copy of it.

Well I'll talk to you later -------Ken

Ken;

I'd LOVE to have a copy of that video! I'd even pay for it.

Anna Mae Aquash was a Mi'kmaq Native, from Nova Scotia, Canada. She ended up working with the American Indian Movement in the 70's, for the Ogalala. Leonard knows EXACTLY who she is!

The FBI first said she died of exposure. Then they said she was executed BY NATIVES for being an FBI informer. They (FBI) let no one see her body, then they buried her as Jane Doe. Needless to say, her Canadian family wanted her body back, especially when they heard about the bullet in her head, and that her hands had been severed by the FBI.

I don't know how the story ended.

Ulterior motives, eh? You bad, bad boy. Maybe I shouldn't be encouraging you to phone her, and get a copy of the tape....

Menolly