Schatz Statement on President Biden Commuting Life Sentence of Leonard Peltier

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement after President Biden commuted Native American activist Leonard Peltier’s sentence. Peltier, now 80 years old, has been imprisoned for the past 49 years after he was convicted of murder in 1977 following a controversial investigation and trial, which many civil rights leaders and legal experts have called unjust, including the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case.

“If there were ever a case that merited compassionate release, Leonard Peltier’s was it,” said Vice Chair Schatz. “President Biden did the right thing by showing this aging man in poor health mercy and allowing him to return home to spend whatever days he has remaining with his loved ones. I thank President Biden and the countless advocates who’ve worked tirelessly over the years to secure Peltier’s release.”

Since 2022, Schatz has repeatedly led colleagues in calling on the president to grant Peltier clemency, including as recently as last month. Schatz also took to the Senate floor last month to press the issue.

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