Shortly before leaving office Monday, former President Joe Biden commuted the life sentence of Leonard Peltier, a far-left activist convicted in the 1975 murders of two FBI special agents, Ronald Williams and Jack Coler, who were gunned down in a shootout in South Dakota.
Peltier's most recent bid for parole failed in July. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama both denied clemency requests for him, but he had supporters among other prominent Democrats, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, as well as former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.
The move outraged the FBI Agents Association and came days after outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray sent a letter to Biden urging him not to free the killer.
"The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) is outraged by President Biden’s decision to commute the sentence of Leonard Peltier, a convicted cop killer responsible for the brutal murders of FBI Special Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams," FBIAA President Natalie Bara told Fox News Digital. "This last-second, disgraceful act by then-President Biden, which does not change Peltier’s guilt but does release him from prison, is cowardly and lacks accountability. It is a cruel betrayal to the families and colleagues of these fallen Agents and is a slap in the face of law enforcement."
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President of FBI Agents Association discusses parole hearing for man who executed 2 colleagues
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DOJ PANEL DENIES PAROLE FOR FAR-LEFT ACTIVIST CONVICTED IN SLAYINGS OF 2 FBI AGENTS
Leonard Peltier, American Indian Movement leader, is led across Oakalla prison exercise yard to a waiting helicopter. After a prolonged legal battle, Peltier was ordered deported by Canadian Justice Minister Ron Basford to face charges of murdering two FBI agents. Getty Images© Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images
On Jan. 10, Wray implored Biden not to do it.
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"I hope these letters are unnecessary, and that you are not considering a pardon or commutation," Wray wrote. "But on behalf of the FBI family, and out of an abundance of caution, I want to make sure our position is clear: Peltier is a remorseless killer, who brutally murdered two of our own – Special Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams. Granting Peltier any relief from his conviction or sentence is wholly unjustified and would be an affront to the rule of law." |
