Leonard Peltier, Innocent Or Guilty? Poem by Luke Easter

35 years in jail for a crime he did not commit?
Or was Leonard Peltier guilty and justly sent?
Two stories so naturally there are equal sides,
Another incident where the government hides?

It’s unfortunate that Uncle Sam twists the truth,
Pounding it into submission with Gestapo boots,
With lies about Viet Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan,
But, why create false information about 1 man?

Evidence crucial to this case isn’t checking out a book,
From the local branch library for everyone to have look,
These classified FBI files essential to national security,
Are not accessible to the public because of insincerity.

America as the whole nation is more important than one,
The reason we became America is for justice to be done,
So, how will we know the truth or lack of behind the fight?
Is justice to a single individual an equal important plight?

Unfortunate or not, may we ever know facts of Pine Ridge?
He said, she said, this, that happened, it didn’t maybe it did?
From what we do know let’s examine through further detail,
Since an innocent man just might be locked but to no avail?

1st, exactly what is with the, “AIM” that powers want it to fail?
Many of its leaders and family either wind up dead or in jail,
Fearful there’s a movement for a Pearl Harbor style attack?
There aren’t enough braves or arrows left to take Utah back.

The U.S. Government saw to that so are they doing it again?
Warrior, certain death & beaten inside a secure federal pen?
Evidence and still more evidence planted so as to coincide?
Which one has more to gain from the factual truth they hide?

Ok, two FBI agents were shot to death but not at close range,
Casings from agents guns were found in a suspect car. Strange?
Who in their right mind would murder & take shells yet not hide?
But, leave them in a car with an agent’s gun where they reside.

Oh, this sounds suspicious enough to open the door to doubt,
However, this is no where enough of anything to get him out,
A fugitive on a murder warrant of a Milwaukee cop admitted,
And after him because in the legal process he was acquitted?

09/09/75, APB, Oregon Trooper, suspect car, gunfire, swift feet,
But, a dead agent’s gun is found bagged where? Under the seat,
From a vehicle registration surely it turned out to be Peltier’s car,
Yet only his thumbprint was on the gun, no he did not get too far.

On 09/10/1975, a station wagon blew up on the Kansas Turnpike,
Weapons & explosives placed too close to a hole in the exhaust pipe,
Not a professor of anything but could these guys really be so dumb?
Would they not be captured immediately w/o months on the run?

Affidavit by Leonard’s girlfriend claims she witnessed the crime,
Murdered agents but they didn’t know each other till a later time,
Her so-called knowledge was key off to jail Leonard Peltier went,
Later stating she was pressured now the judge rules incompetent.

This country needs the FBI and CIA to survive like we need rain,
What is not needed are gale force lies destructive as a hurricane,
Other AIM members involved were not guilty, huh? Self Defense!
Justice! Either every single one is guilty or they are all innocent.

Well, you see it’s like this, Lenny boy was in Canada for the trial,
Fighting extradition to the states his court date took a little while,
There is doubt about fairness right down to the color of his truck,
This conviction is tainted and simply put it just down right sucks.

On 10/17/2000 American Justice aired, “Murder On A reservation, ”
For the benefit of all those doubters thinking this is my imagination,
Acquitting, White jurors said the government created an air of fear,
And now decades later is there an injustice with only 1 left to clear?