HUMAN RIGHTS - LOOKING GLASS NEWS | |
UPDATE FROM LEONARD PELTIER |
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by Leonard Peltier Leonard Peltier Defense Committee Entered into the database on Saturday, August 06th, 2005 @ 08:07:27 MST |
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Aho my relations, As I sit here in my solitary confinement cell at USP Terre Haute, and reflect
over the past month’s events, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming
sense of love and gratitude for each and every one of you who have so diligently
stood by me in this time of crisis. As you already know by now, on June 30,
2005, I was transferred from Leavenworth Facility, to Terre Haute USP. The reason
for my transfer, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons Administrative staff
was that the Leavenworth Facility was downgraded from maximum security level
to medium, and therefore I could not remain at Leavenworth due to my illegal
sentencing and consequent maximum security rank. I was transferred without notification to my attorney, Barry Bachrach, and
my family. Upon my arrival to Terre Haute I was placed in solitary confinement
and was told that I would remain in solitary confinement until my personal file
arrived. My personal file arrived, but I remain in solitary confinement allegedly
for security reasons. I am confined to a cell that is 8’X 8’, it
has a window that is covered from the outside with an elaborate shield that
allows me to see 2-3 inches of the sky out of the top and 2-3 inches of the
ground. All prisoners are supposed to get at least one hour of sunlight or outdoors
and so I am taken from my cell to what is called a Recreation Room (Rec Cage),
and the only sun or outdoors that I see is from some windows high up in this
large room with a few air holes in them. I am able to walk up and down and this
fulfills the one hour of sunlight or outdoors recreation time. Whatever the system’s logic is, it seems that I won’t stay in Terre
Haute for much longer and will be transferred again. I do not know when and
where, nor do I know if this cruel game will be over after another transfer.
After all, removal and relocation have been used to break our people from the
beginning of this country’s history. This keeps my Defense Committee from
taking the necessary steps to re-establish an office, but they are doing everything
they can to help me in this most precarious and uncertain situation. Before this situation developed, I asked Russ Redner to be the National/International
Executive Director of the LPDC. Russ is a brother from our original Northwest
AIM crew, a long time ally, and one of the original founders of the LPDC. I
have trusted Russ with my life many times and he’s proven himself at every
turn. I want him to be the last person I ever have to ask to guide the LPDC,
and as such I have given him full authority to do whatever is necessary to prevent
problems that have plagued us in the past from ever surfacing again. He and
his wife, Paula, bring a renewed energy to the LPDC. It is essential that Russ,
Barry Bachrach, Mike Kuzma, and the new team at the LPDC be supported so they
can work most effectively to achieve my freedom and accomplish the things that
need to be done for my people. I have confidence that all of you who truly support
me will extend your vote of confidence to Russ and my new team. A month in solitary is beginning to take a toll on me but your letters give
me much hope and encouragement. Many of you have written, e-mailed and called
USP Terre Haute, and other organizations. This has brought some improvement
to my solitary confinement. I am now getting my medications on a daily basis,
I can write out, I am receiving my mail, and I am allowed one phone call a month.
I am allowed contact visits for those persons authorized on my visiting list.
The contact visit is restricted to a two hour period, and is conducted through
a glass pane and a phone. I am allowed to visit with my attorney without those
restrictions. At this time I am asking that you continue to call/write/e-mail the contacts
below requesting that my security level be downgraded to medium due to my health,
age and good behavior and that I be transferred to a medium security institution
with all my hard earned prisoner privileges restored. In case I am transferred
please add the new facility (keep checking our official website: http://www.leonardpeltier.org)
to your contact list and ask them to respect my human rights and prisoner privileges.
Again, I thank you for your support and prayers and hope that I may one day
soon be among you. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Leonard Peltier CONTACT LIST: U.S. Penitentiary4700 Bureau Road SouthTerre Haute, IN 47802Phone-812-244-4400Fax----812-244-4789THP/EXECASSISTANT@BOP.GOVFederal
Bureau of Prisons320 First Street NWWashington, DC 20534202-307-3198info@bop.gov Amnesty International Human Rights Watch Senate Judiciary Committee: Arlen Specter, Chairman Senator Edward Kennedy Senator Joseph Biden Senator Dianne FeinsteinUnited States Senate331 Hart Senate Office BuildingWashington,
DC 20510 Senator Richard Durbin332 Dirksen Senate Bldg.Washington, DC 20510Phone: (202)
224-2152Fax: (202) 228-0400 Senator Herb Kohl Sen. Charles E. Schumer313 Hart Senate BuildingWashington, DC 20510Phone: 202-224-6542Fax:
202-228-3027TDD: 202-224-0420 Congressional Judiciary Committee: Honorable John Conyers, Jr. 2426 Rayburn Building Washington, DC 20515 (202)
225-5126 Honorable Robert C. Scott 1201 Longworth House Office Building Washington,
DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-8351 Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee 2435 Rayburn Building Washington, DC 20515 (202)
225-3816 Honorable Maxine Waters2344 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515202-225-2201
phone202-225-7854 fax Honorable Martin Meehan2229 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515Phone:
(202) 225-3411Fax: (202) 226-0771TTY: (202) 225-1904 Honorable Bill Delahunt 2454 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Honorable Anthony Weiner 1122 Longworth House Office Building Washington DC
20515 (202) 225-6616 United Nations: Louise Arbour, U.N. High Commissioner for Human RightsUnited Nations Office
at Geneva The Special Rapporteur on human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous
peoples: Mr. Rodolfo StavenhagenHis contact person is: Pablo Espiniella, Human
Rights Officer: Tel. 41-22-917-9413 Fax 41-22-917-9008; email: indigenous@ohchr.org U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions |