President Joe Biden’s decision to commute the sentence of Leonard Peltier, who has been imprisoned for nearly 50 years for the 1975 killings of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, has ignited controversy. The commutation, issued on January 20, 2025, as Biden left office, allows Peltier, now 80 and suffering from health issues, to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement, but it does not pardon him for his crimes.
Peltier, a prominent Native American activist, has maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration, and his case has long been a point of debate. Supporters, including Amnesty International and former U.S. Attorney James Reynolds, cite what they describe as prosecutorial misconduct and constitutional violations during his trial, calling for his release. Dozens of Congress members have also joined in advocating for clemency.
Opponents, including former FBI Director Christopher Wray and the FBI Agents Association, strongly oppose the commutation. Wray wrote a letter urging Biden not to grant relief to Peltier, arguing that it would undermine justice for the victims’ families and the rule of law. He emphasized that Peltier’s violent escape from prison and history of evading justice made him unworthy of clemency.
Peltier’s supporters argue that his trial was flawed, with evidence suggesting misconduct by law enforcement, including the FBI and prosecutors. Legal experts also suggest that, had the case been tried today, Peltier might not have been convicted.
The decision to commute Peltier’s sentence, which is seen by some as a necessary move for justice and by others as an unjustifiable act, highlights the deep divide in public opinion on the case, which continues to resonate with broader conversations about legal fairness, human rights, and Indigenous justice.