"I'm Not Going to Give Up": Leonard Peltier on Indigenous Rights, His Half-Century in Prison & More

[Uncle Joe]

In September, Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman sat down with longtime political prisoner and Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier for his first extended television and radio broadcast interview since his release to home confinement in February. Before his commutation by former President Joe Biden, the 81-year-old Peltier spent nearly 50 years behind bars. Peltier has always maintained his innocence for the 1975 killing of two FBI officers. He is expected to serve the remainder of his life sentences under house arrest at the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Nation in Belcourt, North Dakota. In a wide-ranging conversation, we spoke to Peltier about his case, his time in prison, his childhood spent at an American Indian boarding school and his later involvement in the American Indian Movement (AIM) and more.

"We still have to live under that, that fear of losing our identity, losing our culture, our religion," Peltier says about his continued commitment to Indigenous rights. "The struggle still goes on for me. I'm not going to give up."
Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET.

[Warpy]

1. I always said he wouldn't be released until the last stubborn old fart in the FBI

Last edited Thu Nov 27, 2025, 04:51 PM - Edit history (1)

who took part in railroading him had died. Apparently that finally happened.

His conviction has smelled really bad for 49 years, based on recanted testimony and FBI lies because they were desperate to blame other people for their own bungling.

I'm glad he's outlived enough of them that he's finally out of prison.

[SouthBayDem]

2. Wait, he's still alive?

Somehow I thought Peltier had died. i had to check Wikipedia to refresh my memory that Biden commuted his sentence to home confinement.