November 4, 2008


Call to all entertainers & artists to support Leonard Peltier

The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee is seeking entertainers to help with hosting a fundraising event in your area. We would like everyone to do the best they can to host this event during the week of December 10th. Leonard is a recipient of the International Human Rights Award from the Country of Spain and has received other humanitarian awards, including being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times.

The case of Leonard Peltier has been well documented in numerous book, films and hundreds of articles & interviews. His case has attracted the attention of world & religious leaders, celebrities, members of Congress, and Amnesty International declared Peltier to be a political prisoner.

Next year, Peltier will have spent 33 years in prison for a crime the U. S. prosecutor admitted that they could no longer prove. The government's case was confronted with evidence they had with held a ballistics report that would have confirmed Peltier's innocence. It is worth noting that a different jury found Peltier's two co-defendants not guilty. For more information on this justice denied, go to www.whoisleonardpeltier.info and read about his case, his work since being falsely and wrongly imprisoned and learn more about what we are doing to bring him the freedom he deserves.

Our work is going to require a substantial amount of time and money. We have time and renewed hope with the result of the presidential election, but we don't have the money to do what it is going to take. As it is, we barely have enough to cover this month's bill.

The state of the LP-DOC came about when the former Leonard Peltier Defense Committee ceased functioning as an organization and became unresponsive to calls from Leonard and his relatives to find out what was happening. When no calls were being returned, Leonard's sister, Betty Ann Solano, living on a fixed income began establishing the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee with the help of Kari Ann, her daughter.

We are not looking to criticize the person who maintained the previous committee. We know how difficult the work to free Leonard has been, and many volunteers have been burned out or have felt let down. However, there is no time to lay blame, we are on the last bid for Peltier's freedom and we need to make it happen. If he doesn't receive his freedom, an innocent man is doomed to die in prison. So this is an issue of life or death and we hope that everyone we reach can find a way to support Leonard.

As a band or musician, we would like to ask you if your band or yourself would do a benefit show for Peltier and the LP-DOC next month. If so, contact Kari Ann through the website or at 701-235-2206.

We are discussing having a 3-5 min video made to explain who Peltier is that you could possibly have show at the venue you are performing at if they have the capabilities. We appreciate it whenever you can speak about Leonard to an audience. As our official Branch Support Groups grow, we'd also like it if you could help to make arrangements for the BSG's to set up a table or booth to distribute info about Leonard Peltier and sell t-shirts and bumper stickers or buttons. These are priceless opportunities for us to get the word out about Leonard's plight and to get more people to join in.

If you want to know about possible BSG's or some support in your area, contact our National Branch Support Group Coordinator at bcarnes@whoisleonardpeltier.info or call 719-746-0119.

We are looking forward to hearing from you and getting as many benefit shows during that week to help us get the word out. If you have any questions, please contact us. Thank you.



Sincerely,


Betty Ann Peltier-Solano
Coordinator
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee