President Biden commuted the sentence of Leonard Peltier, a Native American rights activist who has spent nearly 50 years in prison for the murder of two F.B.I. agents. This decision comes amidst considerable debate, as Peltier's supporters argue he was unjustly convicted following an unfair trial, while some F.B.I. officials view the commutation as a betrayal. At 80, Peltier's health has deteriorated significantly. Lawmakers like Senator Brian Schatz championed the decision, emphasizing compassion for an aging man wishing to spend his remaining days with family.
Mr. Peltier, a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, received two life sentences in connection with a shootout between federal agents and tribal rights activists in 1975.
If there were ever a case that merited compassionate release, Leonard Peltier's was it, said Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii.
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