imprisoned activist leonard peltier beaten upon transfer to different prison

i don't know how common it is for inmates to be beaten upon arrival at a new facility--unfortunately, i wouldn't be surprised if it is fairly routine...BUT that in no way makes it acceptable, and especially disgusting if the violence in prison is not only indirectly fueled by the violence OF prisons as an institution but more directly spurred by the FBI, as Leonard's sister suggests.

all of the following is from PhillyIMC

Leonard Peltier beaten at Canaan Federal Penitentiary, Pennsylvania

by whoisleonardpeltier.info | 01.21.2009

I am so OUTRAGED! My brother Leonard was severely beaten upon his arrival at the Canaan Federal Penitentiary. When he went into population after his transfer, some inmates assaulted him. The severity of his injuries is that he suffered numerous blows to his head and body, receiving a large bump on his head, possibly a concussion, and numerous bruises. Also, one of his fingers is swollen and discolored and he has pain in his chest and ribcage. There was blood everywhere from his injuries.

I am asking you, supporters of Leonard and advocates of justice at this time to help. I don't know what else to do. Please Help!

UPDATES: Jan22 — Don't Stop Calling | Jan24 — Emergency Protest Held for Leonard Peltier in SF

Dear LP Supporters

I am so OUTRAGED! My brother Leonard was severely beaten upon his arrival at the Canaan Federal Penitentiary. When he went into population after his transfer, some inmates assaulted him. The severity of his injuries is that he suffered numerous blows to his head and body, receiving a large bump on his head, possibly a concussion, and numerous bruises. Also, one of his fingers is swollen and discolored and he has pain in his chest and ribcage. There was blood everywhere from his injuries.

We feel that prison authorities at the prompting of the FBI orchestrated this attack and thus, we are greatly concerned about his safety. It may be that the attackers, whom Leonard did not even know, were offered reduced sentences for carrying out this heinous assault. Since Leonard is up for parole soon, this could be a conspiracy to discredit a model prisoner.

He was placed in solitary confinement and only given one meal, this is generally done when you won't name your attackers; incidentally being only given one meal seriously jeopardizes his health because of his diabetes. Prison officials refuse to release any info to the family, but they need to hear from his supporters to protect his safety, as does President Obama. His attorneys are trying to get calls into him now.

This attack on LP comes on the heels of the FBI's recent letter, prompting this attack by FBI supporters as an attempt to discredit LP as a model prisoner. Anyone who has been in the prison system knows well that if you refuse to name your attackers or file charges against them, then you lose your status as a victim and/or given points against your possible parole and labeled as a perpetrator.

It is not uncommon, in fact is quite common for the government to use Indian against Indian and they still operate under the old adage "it takes an Indian to catch an Indian." In 1978, they made an attempt to assassinate him through another Indian man who was also at Marion prison with LP. But Standing Deer chose to reveal the plot to him instead of taking his life in exchange FOR A CHANCE AT FREEDOM. When Standing Deer was released in 2001, he joined the former Leonard Peltier Defense Committee as a board member. He also began to speak on Leonard's behalf until his murder six years ago today. Prior to his murder, Standing Deer confided with close friends and associates that the same man who visited him in Marion to assassinate Peltier, had came to Houston, TX and told him that he had better stay away from Peltier and anything to do with
him.

We are aware that currently, the FBI is actively seeking support for his continued imprisonment of Leonard Peltier and also also seeking support from Native People. So please be aware, and keep Leonard in your prayers. The FBI is apparently afraid of the impact we are having. If they will set him up to blemish his record just before a parole hearing, what will they do when it looks like his freedom will become a reality? We need to make sure that nothing happens to him again!

Please write the President, send it priority or registered mail. Email to Change.gov or email President Obama. Call your congressional representatives and write letters, not email, to them. Do what you can to get the word out to insure that LP is receiving adequate medical attention for his injuries.

I am asking you, supporters of Leonard and advocates of justice at this time to help. I don't know what else to do. Please Help!

Thank you
Betty Peltier-Solano
Executive Coordinator
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee

Also call and request Leonard be treated with dignity and respect.
Canaan Federal Prison
570-488-8000

If you call the prison on Leonard's behalf you will need this register #:

LEONARD PELTIER 89637-132
____________________________________________________

Pursuant to Betty Ann Peltier Solano's letter about her brother,
let the Bureau of Prisons know that the public will hold them
accountable for the safety and well being of Leonard Peltier.

Warden Ronnie R. Holt
USP-Canaan
3057 Easton Turnpike
Waymart, PA 18472
Phone: 570-488-8000
Fax: 570-488-8130
E-mail address: CAA/EXECASSISTANT@BOP.GOV

D. Scott Dodrill, Director
Northeast Regional Office
Federal Bureau of Prisons
2nd & Chesnut Streets., 7th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: 215-521-7301
E-mail: NERO/EXECASSISTANT@BOP.GOV

Harley G. Lappin, Director
Bureau of Prisons
U.S. Department of Justice
320 First Street, NW, Room 654
Washington, DC 20534
Phone: 202-307-3250
Fax: 202-514-6878

----

My Relatives and Friends,

Last night a change in this country took place that not too long ago many people said would never happen. An African-American was elected to the White House and by a major landslide, which gives him a mandate by the public to fulfill his promises. This landslide indicates the people have placed their hope with this man they call their president for a change in this country.

HOPE. There have been times if I can even recall what it really means to have hope that justice is right around the corner. I've been mislead and disappointed so many times that I would soon see justice and to have it denied upon a technicality in legal appeals. Or like what happened eight years ago. Everyone placed their hope and trust with a couple named Bill and Hillary, but we were betrayed at the last minute. I know that many of my friends, family and supporters were crushed. I began to feel the weight and pressure of a lifetime being unjustly imprisoned began to crowd me into a corner of my cell and then in my mind. But, it was this thing that has been our battle cry for so many years, "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse". I remembered what he stood for and remained a warrior until his last breath. It is a strength that we stand upon when we are right. We were right to be in Oglala and we were right to be prepared to defend ourselves. What wasn't right is that a jury never got to hear any of this testimony, and the rest of the trial was a product of the fabrication and then manipulation of the FBI. This spirit of Crazy Horse is a spirit of being in total resistance to the wrongs perpetuated towards your people, community, family and yourself. Some of us called it outrage, but that is just merely an emotion without resolving the issue. It is when we make a conscious choice to try and balance the wrongs in this society that we are being compelled by this spirit of resistance to stand in defense of the wronged.

That spirit cannot be conquered, and I refused to submit and give in when it appeared there may be no hope It was because of the letters of support and encouragement from so many people that I continued on for another eight years. And now people seem to feel there is a change blowing in the wind and that the election of Obama is a manifestation of that change.

I sincerely hope so, because I am now 64 years old and coming up on my 33 year of being confined and fighting for justice and my freedom, Obama may be my last chance at securing my freedom. If there is one thing I learned from earlier campaigns on my clemency is that he won't just be able to do it by himself. He is going to need your support in the form of public opinion on the case. That isn't going to happen until we can create education and awareness on the circumstances of my case across this country and send letters. Be a Branch Support Group to help create public opinion. My case has to be a national issue on justice denied, it may sound easy, but it isn't. The FBI has been an opposing force in attempting to discredit my cause and that of Native people since they focused their attention on the American Indian Movement in the 1970s. When it appeared that Clinton might actually grant clemency, the agents went and demonstrated at the White House and utilized their resources to create doubt in the mind of Clinton.

So in the national awareness goals of the branch support groups it is going to be your challenge to keep the public interest focused. It is also another hope that with a whole generation of people who were born after my wrongful conviction that there will be a renewed source of energy and actions.

One point that I would like everyone to focus on right now is a "30 year law" regarding my sentence and parole. At the time I was convicted, the guidelines said:

"Any prisoner, …shall be released on parole… after serving thirty years of each consecutive term or terms of more than forty-five years including any life term, whichever is earlier: Provided, however, That the Commission shall not release such prisoner if it determines that he has seriously or frequently violated institution rules and regulations or that there is a reasonable probability that he will commit any Federal, State, or local crime." 28 U.S.C. section 28 U.S.C. §4206(d)

I've served more than 30 years of this sentence and have been considered a model prisoner And the likelihood of committing any crimes is non-existent due to my age and the humanitarian work I've pursued to help my people since my incarceration. According to this law, they have to grant me a parole to my next sentence. But as we've learned from the past, we cannot take anything for granted so your letters should be focused on this law to the parole commission and congressional leaders. If the commission complies with the letter and spirit of this law, we will have made a significant step towards my freedom and we will need to maintain and increase this momentum.

The Committee and I have been discussing several ideas and projects to make this a pro-active campaign. We are currently rebuilding the former LPSG's into LPBSG's. This is necessary due to a breakdown with the former Leonard Peltier Defense Committee. I had to turn to my sister and niece to help me rebuild my defense committee from scratch. We had no files, records, and merchandise. We have not been able to make contact with the former coordinator of the LPDC. We are still hoping to resolve this issue, but until then we needed to keep moving with the campaign.

We still need all of our former contacts and supporters to reconnect with us and to update the information so that my Committee can handle correspondences and contributions. We need everyone who has supported me to contact the LPDOC and sign onto our list serve so that you can be updated with information on progress or activities needed in my campaign.

I will need everyone to work with my Committee and clear any action with the appropriate people within the Committee. It is important that we all work together cohesively, instead of scattering our efforts or resources. We do not intend to discourage ideas or creativity, but we would like to incorporate such ideas into a unified larger effort and not act prematurely on some plans we may have not disclosed due to timing or details being worked out.

Some of the projects we have discussed are conducting rides, walks, runs and events across the country to create this awareness of my case. We are initiating efforts to ask bands and artists to host fundraisers in their area. We've talked about strategies we could undertake to further my cause, but a lot will depend on how quickly people come to form my BSG and start organizing in their area.

I also understand that some of us have personality issues with other people. I hope that many of you can pray or find a way to rise above this obstacle and work together for one common purpose. I would like to see so many of my supporters come together in a show of solidarity. If there really is a change in the air, we will need each other to bring about change in so many other areas. For me it has been about our culture and right to be who we are, but foremost it has been the children and the next generation. WE were supposed to leave a better world behind for them and how much have we accomplished? I know that somehow and someway my sacrifice will not be in vain and that the years I've endured this pain of loneliness and suffering in confinement will make a better world for those children and coming generations. That along with my freedom is my hope, but I will not be able to fulfill it without you. So take a few minutes and educate yourself on the injustices of my case. It may shock and outrage you, but you can do something about it, so join us.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,

Leonard Peltier