[Shadow_Group] Fw: Graham Defense Update Dec. 7, 2004

[shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca]

Hello all,

As many of you may know, December 6 was the first day of extradition 
hearings for John Graham. In the morning prior to court, John was feeling 
some stress, but was also very positive to be walking the path of truth. He 
was surrounded my many friends and family members, some from the 
local area and others who flew in to Vancouver to observe the hearings 
and offer their support.

During this first day, John's lawyers reviewed the details of his arrest, 
about how he was first detained for a false accusation of harassment. 
While in police custody on this charge, John was allowed to contact a 
lawyer -- which he did. After this call however, John was then informed of 
a new charge relating to the US indictment for the murder of Anna Mae 
Aquash. The original complaint evaporated, and was replaced solely by 
this new charge. After being informed of the new charge, John was not 
allowed to contact legal counsel -- an apparent violation of his rights -- 
and was further interrogated.

One witness which the defence called to testify was a woman employed 
at the local police detachment where John is required to check in on a 
daily basis. Not only has John checked in consistently and reliably, but he 
had also made friends of the staff and has sold one of his hand-crafted 
willow chairs to an employee. John has been crafting such items to 
subsidize his income, since the restrictions of house arrest make it nearly 
impossible to find other employment.

Another development recently was the issuing of a statement by Leonard 
Peltier (included below) about the matter of John Graham, which is 
included below.

More news stories and other information is being updated regularly on the 
John Graham Defense Committee website. Please visit often in the 
coming days, and take the time to mail a letter to Canada's Justice 
Minister Irwin Cotler.

We thank you all for your continued support, and will do our best to keep 
you informed as these hearings continue.

Matthew Lien 
John Graham Defense Committee 
www.grahamdefense.org<http://www.grahamdefense.org/>
info at grahamdefense.org<mailto:info at grahamdefense.org> 

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Peltier Statement on Graham Extradition Hearing
December 6, 2004
Today, the U.S. government will seek John Graham's extradition to stand 
trial in South Dakota for the murder of Anna Mae Pictou Aquash. I urge all 
of you to closely monitor the proceedings and ensure that Canadian 
authorities thoroughly examine all the evidence presented by the U.S. 
government in this case. 

Never forget the role of U.S. law enforcement officials in incidents that 
took place in the 1970s on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The 
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tirelessly tried to prejudice the fair 
trial rights of American Indian Movement leaders charged with serious 
crimes during that turbulent period and knowingly presented false 
evidence to illegally obtain my extraction from Canada in December 1976. 

You may be thinking "That was then, this is now." Yes, many things have 
changed since the 1970s, but one thing has not changed, I assure you: 
Indians in the U.S. continue to struggle against the most dangerous, well- 
funded, strongest military and political organization in the world. I know 
the behavior of the FBI and other government officials has not changed. I 
fear that Graham will not receive a fair hearing in Canada or a fair trial in 
the U.S., anymore than I did. 

To the Canadian officials I say, justice cannot be achieved if a full 
investigation into the FBI's role in Annie Mae's death is not included in the 
inquiry. Annie Mae's death was the direct result of the FBI's activities on 
Pine Ridge. The FBI told Anna Mae that they would see her dead within a 
year if she did not cooperate with them, used their puppets to spread 
rumors that Annie Mae was an informant when she refused to cooperate, 
and mishandled the investigation of her death. Your investigation must 
consider the fact that the FBI's pathologist listed the cause of her death 
as exposure, despite the obvious bullet hole in her head, and Annie Mae's 
quick burial before a positive identification could be made. 

Your investigation also must include examination of FBI Special Agent 
David Price who was very familiar with Annie Mae's appearance and saw 
her body after it was first recovered, yet failed to identify her. I believe he 
attempted to cover up her murder. When this was no longer possible, due 
to the findings of an independent pathologist, the FBI issued a false press 
release implying that some of her own people murdered Annie Mae 
because they believed she was an informant. Look for and find the truth. 
In so doing, remember that officials of the U.S. violated your sovereignty 
in 1976 by deceiving your courts and using you to wrongfully convict an 
innocent man. Remember. And be vigilant. The First Nations of the U.S. 
and Canada want justice for Anna Mae, but also do not want an injustice 
done in her name. 

Leonard Peltier #89637-132 
U.S. Penitentiary - Leavenworth 
PO Box 1000 
Leavenworth, KS 66048-1000 

Leonard Peltier Defense Committee 
PO Box 583 
Lawrence, KS 66044-0583 
Telephone: (1) 785/842-5774 
E-mail: info at leonardpeltier.org<mailto:info at leonardpeltier.org>
Website: http://www.leonardpeltier.org/<http://www.leonardpeltier.org/>
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