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LPDCUpDates and Announcements!
Tuesday, June 14, 2005Subj: Dave Chief - Obituary by his family Date: 6/13/2005 5:50:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: info@leonardpeltier.org Dave Yakima Chief Dave Yakima Chief (Wakinyan), age 74, journeyed to the spirit world on Friday evening, June 10, in Medford, Oregon surrounded by family. A respected Lakota elder, warrior, spiritual advisor, and member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Dave was born on June 25, 1930 at Rapid Creek, South Dakota. He grew up at Red Shirt Table on the Pine Ridge Reservation. His parents were Albert Chief and Hattie Fills the Pipe Chief. Dave worked for the people and for treaty rights for decades, traveling to the United Nations, the White House, the U.S. Congress, and other continents. In 1972 Dave participated in the Trail of Broken Treaties, which culminated in the takeover of the BIA in Washington, D.C. In 1978 he was in the Longest Walk from Alcatraz Island to Washington, D.C. that brought about the Freedom of Religion Act (P.L. 95-341), allowing Native people the legal right to practice traditional spirituality. In 1984, he ran in the Jim Thorpe 54-day run from the Onondaga Nation in New York to Los Angeles, after which Jim Thorpe's nine gold Olympic medals were returned to his family. Dave served for many years as the spiritual advisor to Leonard Peltier, political prisoner, traveling around the country in this capacity. For over twenty years, Dave worked with Arvol Looking Horse, the 19th generation keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe, and served as his spiritual advisor since the death of Arvol's father, Stanley Looking Horse. Dave supported Arvol in his work for world peace and protection of sacred sites. Dave said that his job was "to pray for the people." Dave stressed the importance of daily prayer, respect, service, and honoring the seventh generation. Gratefully sharing his life were his wife Mary Jane of Ashland Oregon, sons Waverly of Rapid City, Burton of Porcupine, Martin (and Irene) Lechuga of Eagle Butte, and Wakinyan of Chico, CA., one daughter, Wase of Chico, stepchildren Sarah Cedar Face (Reuben Elias) and Jessica Cedar Face (Benjamin John) and countless grandchildren and relatives that loved him. He was proceeded in death by daughters Doris Chief and Arlene Chief and an infant son. Wake is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, June 16 and 17, at the Red Shirt Table Gymnasium. Traditional services are planned for Saturday, June 18 with burial at St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery at Red Shirt Table. Posted by Webmaster@AIMSupport.org 8:41 AM  Date: 6/13/2005 5:56:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: info@leonardpeltier.org Dear Brothers, Sisters, Friends, Supporters, and All Peoples, Today we mourn the loss of David Chief, a long time spiritual advisor and spiritual force for the Lakota nation. He was a man committed to his culture. He was a man of utmost respect. He has left a legacy that we all should follow. My condolences go out to the family and all of our people. I pray that we unite to continue on the path he followed. In The Spirit, Leonard Peltier Posted by Webmaster@AIMSupport.org 8:34 AM Date: 6/13/2005 9:39:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: info@leonardpeltier.org June 13, 2005 Leonard Peltier Defense Committee This is a reminder that the hearing on the legality of Leonard's conviction by the United States on sovereign territory of another Nation -namely that of the Oglala Nation will be heard in will take place on Wednesday June 15th, 2005 at 2:00 PM at the Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse in Fargo, North Dakota (655 1st Ave. North - 4th Floor, Courtroom 1). Please make an effort to attend and show solidarity for Leonard. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: RUSS REDNER, LPDC DIRECTOR, 915-533-6655 or TOLL FREE 866-534-6151 BARRY BACHRACH, LPDC ATTORNEY, 508-926-3403 RAQUEL ROBLES BURNET, LPDC HEADQUARTERS, 785-842-5774 THE COURT DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON FOR VIEWING AT: www.freeleonard.org and www.leonardpeltier.org PELTIER HEARING TO ADRESS LAKOTA NATION SOVEREIGNTY As Mark Felt, one of the main responsible FBI officers overseeing illegal counterintelligence programs targeting the American Indian Movement and other groups in the 60s and 70's, is hailed as a hero for catalyzing the toppling of the Nixon administration, Leonard Peltier approaches his fourth decade of unjust imprisonment. Today, from the perspective of the U.S. government, everything is excusable in the war theatre, even as the world questions U.S. policies and actions that point unequivocally to human rights abuses. A puppet government, people murdered and terrorized, that was the climate in the Pine Ridge reservation in 1975 when two FBI agents were killed in a shootout. Leonard Peltier and fellow warriors responded to the call for protection from the Oglala Lakota people, but he was blamed for the deaths of the agents and is serving two consecutive life terms for that. However, his defense team has been granted a hearing to correct his illegal sentencing. The basis for this motion is that the United States District Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction under the statutes upon which Mr. Peltier was convicted and sentenced. The statutes in question require that the crime take place "within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States". Since the deaths of the agents occurred on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation which is neither "within the special maritime [or] territorial jurisdiction of the United States", the Peltier defense team is asking the Court to grant Mr. Peltier's motion and vacate the illegal sentences imposed upon him. If the Court does not recognize the Pine Ridge Reservation as sovereign "then one must wonder, what does sovereignty mean?" stated Barry Bachrach, attorney for Leonard Peltier. "Sovereignty seems to be a concept that is given merely lip service. It is raised when the government does not want to get involved, and infringed when the government wants to take action." As Bachrach further stated, "This hearing is important because Mr. Peltier was never charged with crimes over which the United States had jurisdiction. The history of the constitution, and the statutes implicated, unequivocally establish that Mr. Peltier was not convicted under the Indian Crimes Act, which is the only possible authority under which the government could have tried and convicted Mr. Peltier. Whereas here, the court had no jurisdiction to convict Mr. Peltier under the crimes for which he was convicted, those convictions must be set aside as a matter of law." The hearing will take place on Wednesday June 15th, 2005 at 2:00 PM at the Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse in Fargo, North Dakota (655 1st Ave. North - 4th Floor, Courtroom 1). FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: RUSS REDNER, LPDC DIRECTOR, 915-533-6655 or TOLL FREE 866-534-6151 BARRY BACHRACH, LPDC ATTORNEY, 508-926-3403 RAQUEL ROBLES BURNET, LPDC HEADQUARTERS, 785-842-5774 THE COURT DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON FOR VIEWING AT: http://www.freeleonard.org and http://www.leonardpeltier.org Posted by Webmaster@AIMSupport.org 8:23 AM Date: 6/12/2005 11:06:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: info@leonardpeltier.org Dear Brothers, Sisters, Friends, Supporters, and All People, I want to thank you all for your continuing support. These are important times for us all. Now is the time for unification. Only through unity can we overcome.I ask all of us, my brother and sisters, all people, please come together as one and work together hard for the rights of all. On this Wednesday, one of the most important hearings in my case will be presented in Fargo, North Dakota.It challenges the court's jurisdiction to have illegally sentenced me. I was never charged with a crime over which the United States had jurisdiction.The charges and conviction violate our sovereignty.This hearing can lead to my freedom. But, I will leave it to my lawyers to present these issues to the court and any of you who have questions may of course call upon them. Barry Bachrach and Michael Kuzma have worked hard for my freedom, as have so many of you, too many to list.I remember you all and hope to join you soon. I especially want to thank Michael Kuzma for his hard work in relentlessly pursuing the government to produce to us the over 140,000 documents which have yet to be produced, after nearly 30 years of obfuscation. I hope you will all support this hearing and the cause. I hope to be free so I can even more effectively assist and give back to all of my people for the outpouring of support that you have given me through these so many years.Let's pray that this time I am given the justice due our people. I also want to acknowledge another significant event which will occur on June 26,2005, the 30th anniversary of the firefight on the jumping bull property. We did not start that war. We stood as brave warriors simply trying to protect the elders and the traditionals who did not wish to lose their identity to the forces conducting a war upon them. All of those who participated that day were warriors. I, along with all of you, mourn the death of Joe Stuntz who valiantly sought to protect our people. We mourn the many people who died during the Reign of Terror. We mourn that the fight continues. The forces attacking us have not stopped.However, this anniversary should not only be a day only of mourning, but a day to reinvigorate our people's efforts to achieve the rights and justice to which we are all due. Today, many of our people are being unjustly placed in prison. The government has turned the prisons into one of the largest reservations in this Country.Our people are not treated with the respect we are due. These injustices must stop. We must unite and speak as one to stop the injustices facing our people. Remember, unity. Unity conquers all. My prayers are with you all on these important days. I pray to be with you soon to help. In the Spirit, Leonard Peltier --------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted by Webmaster@AIMSupport.org 9:53 AM
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