Professor Glenn Morris, Colorado AIM, assists marchers and Rally participants
Parade Drum Group
Spiritual Elder Wallace Black Elk and daughter, Marilyn Black Elk
Early arrivals set up their personal banner for Leonard Peltier
Russell Means, AIM, and Professor Glenn Morris of Colorado AIM set up Rally banner under the watchful eyes of Federal Police
Byron White U.S. Federal Courthouse - Denver, Colorado
Spiritual Elder Wallace Black Elk
with daughter, Marilyn Black Elk
and assisted by Cindy
Sacred Smoke for the Rally participants
Friday, September 19, 2003:
8:00 a.m.: Rally at the Colorado State Capitol Building
8:30 a.m.: Parade through downtown Denver
9:00 a.m.: Peltier Hearing in the U.S. 10th District Court of Appeals
9:00 a.m.: Rally outside the Byron White U.S. Federal Courthouse
Sponsored by the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee and Colorado AIM
Knowing that time was at a premium, the speakers at the Rally held at the Colorado State Capitol Building were brief in their words but strong in their encouragement and enthusiastic support for Leonard Peltier. The nearly two-mile long Parade was begun and wound its way through the maze of angled streets known as downtown Denver, the core of the city, to the Byron White U.S. Federal Courthouse.
Leading the parade, immediately behind the Colorado AIM Eagle Staff, was 84 year old Spiritual Elder Wallace Black Elk drumming on his personal sacred drum, in beat with the large drum behind him, while being pushed in a wheelchair by his daughter (Marilyn Black Elk) and assistant, Cindy. Following him came the flags, banners, AIM members and a host of Peltier supporters. Over two hundred participants. As they marched and drummed and sang, the sound reverberated through the tall office buildings, seeming to rock them on their foundations, and could be heard echoing for many surrounding blocks. The sound of the drum's heartbeat filled the windows above with people moved to see what was happening.
During the initial Rally and initial part of the Parade, Wambli Ho News went directly to the Courthouse, intent on covering the happenings there. Arriving at 8 a.m. to find only Federal police and FBI setting up iron fence-type corrals on the front plaza/sidewalk area, eventually other people and reporters/photographers who had missed the initial Rally began to arrive.
Lenny Foster, Dineh (Navajo), longtime Peltier supporter and prison reform activist spoke to Wambli Ho News about having been in a sweatlodge ceremony on August 30, 2003 with Leonard Peltier at Leavenworth Prison. Foster, who worked to found the Navajo Nation Corrections Project, related that he was working hard to bring about a unity and harmony on behalf of Peltier and on behalf of all Indigenous Nations. Later that day, Foster would stand on the steps with the other Peltier Rally speakers and speak to this need for peace, harmony, and concerted effort.
Ricardo Maez, Yaqui Nation Spiritual Advisor, spoke with Wambli Ho News about the need to educate the public and the System about Native issues and Ways in order to help those Natives in the prison system, on the reservations, and outside the reservations. Maez works as a volunteer to lead ceremonies in the prisons of the Southwest, East Coast, Canada and elsewhere and also works to help Native prisoners obtain access to their religious ceremonies. He has been to Leavenworth Prison twice. Lamenting the constant need to battle ignorance, fear, and misunderstanding, Maez believes and hopes that mainstream religions are slowly moving towards an understanding and respect for the Native spiritualities.
The imposing Courthouse itself provided an interesting history of moods. Built nearly 100 years ago (from 1910-1916) as a Federal Courthouse and U.S. Post Office, by the 1980's it was in sad, neglected shape. Huge, Neoclassical in design, with sweeping exterior stone pillars and an interior courtyard, the building became a successful project for restoration by the GSA in 1994. However, its history also included being featured as the courthouse in the Perry Mason [Attorney at Law] dramatic television movie series (1985-1993 Viacom Productions Inc.). Yet the theatrical drama portrayed on its steps in the past was rivaled and even surpassed by the very real drama portrayed on those steps on this day.
With Federal Police and FBI Agents in abundance, members of the press were advised they could take pictures of the Courthouse building but not of the entrances. Interestingly, every time Wambli Ho News raised their camera to photograph the exterior of the building, most of the Federal Police would step behind the pillars so as not to be photographed.
Suddenly, there was the simultaneous impact of the ground shaking slightly while the ears registered the echoing of the large ceremonial drum whose low, powerful heartbeat sound heralded the approach of the parade. Media personnel began streaming to the front of the Courthouse while photographers rushed to the street to film the oncoming parade.
It seemed that, finally, the mainstream media were showing up to record that something was happening in regards to Leonard Peltier. Whether they will continue their investigations and attention to his case and cause or not, it was gratifying to see that, at least on this day, they were interested and willing to report the events.
Spiritual Elder Wallace Black Elk, Marilyn Black Elk, assistant Cindy, and Native Musician Robby Romero with Dave Hill of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee holding a portrait of Leonard Peltier created by Peltier supporter Jeremy Yazzie
Russell Means, AIM, and Rally crowd
Leonard Peltier's grandson, Cyrus Peltier, waits with Rhonda Smith of the Peltier Legal Team and Delaney Bruce of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
www.leonardpeltier.org
Native Musician and Long-time Peltier Supporter Robby Romero and David Hill, Director of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
www.leonardpeltier.org
However, as the parade and rally participants approached and the press moved forward to start interviewing the participants, the Federal Police moved quickly into action. In their black-appearing uniforms, pants tucked into their tall boots, faces grim with polite yet commanding words, the parade and rally participants were ordered into one of the iron corrals erected only an hour earlier and the press commanded to move into the other corral. Separated by distance, there was no way any press member could interview anyone and we were left to photographing the scene as the Police officials met with the Rally officials.
Finally, David Hill (Director of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee), Russell Means (one of AIM's founders and longtime Peltier Activist), Glenn Morris (Colorado AIM), Lenny Foster (Navajo Nation Corrections Project), and Native Musician Robby Romero were allowed to stand on the steps and speak to the people in the Rally. The crowd of participants had now grown to over 300. But sadly, the speakers' bullhorn did not function well and their words were basically inaudible to the media confined within the press barricade.
Despite the crowd and the crowded conditions, it is to be noted that this was an extremely peaceful rally and demonstration. At no time did anyone jeopardize the situation and, in turn, the Federal Police seemed to relax a bit themselves in their approach to the situation.
And, eventually, Rocky Rodriguez (Bill of Rights Defense Committee), attorneys Bruce Ellison and Barry Bachrach, and the Peltier legal team emerged from the courthouse and joined the speakers on the steps of the courthouse. With Cyrus Peltier (grandson of Leonard Peltier) standing to the side with Delaney Bruce (Leonard Peltier Defense Committee) and Rhonda Smith (Peltier legal team), attorney Barry Bachrach moved to the bullhorn and tried to outline what had happened in the courtroom. Again, it was difficult for most people to hear and, even more, to understand.
But at this junction, the media broke free of their corral and rushed to hear, record, and photograph the attorneys standing on the steps. Thankfully, the Police allowed this.
Wambli Ho News interviewed Rhonda Smith of the Peltier legal team and she was most helpful in explaining what had happened in the courtroom. She related that there had been three judges (two men, one woman). It was apparent that one judge had been given incorrect information. Once that issue was resolved, Smith told that all the judges became very proactive in the hearing and processing of the information which Peltier's attorneys had presented. Smith was clearly hopeful of a fair decision from these 10th Circuit Federal Appeals judges, a decision which may take two to three months to come down.
Rocky Rodriguez, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, and Barry Bachrach and the Peltier Legal Team come out of the Courthouse and confer with Professor Glenn Morris, Colorado AIM
David Hill, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, holds the bullhorn as Barry Bachrach, Peltier Legal Team, speaks to the Rally participants with Russell Means, AIM, Native Musician Robby Romero, and other Legal Team members. At the top, Federal Police looks on from his post which he has held since the beginning of the Rally.
Attorney Barry Bachrach (from the firm of Bowditch & Dewey in Worcester, MA) stopped on the sidewalk and gave the press a second chance to ask questions. He stated that he felt the Hearing was a "fair" one. While much can happen in the next two to three months before the decision is rendered, Bachrach was guardedly optimistic that this fairness would be fully reflected in the Court's decision. He explained that the Court has several decision options if they rule in Peltier's favor. The most common option would be to send the case back to the 8th Circuit Court to be heard again. However, there is an outside chance (Bachrach estimated a 1% chance) that this 10th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals could find that, given the legal history, Peltier is not capable of receiving a fair hearing in the 8th Circuit Court and therefore would immediately order his parole directly.
Rhonda Smith, Peltier Legal Team
Cyrus Peltier after his grandfather's Appeals Hearing stands with Delaney Bruce,
Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
www.leonardpeltier.org
Barry Bachrach and Rhonda Smith,
Leonard Peltier Legal Team
Bachrach gives the media a second opportunity to hear his words.
Then it was over. People slowly moved away from the courthouse, filled with renewed hope but reluctant to let the moment pass.
But the moment didn't really pass away. As their mantra goes, and the people understand only too well, they themselves will not go away. They will be heard. And they will continue to work until Leonard Peltier, martyr for his People and symbol for all injustice, is free.
Many adults saw great hope in the numerous young people who participated in the Parade and Rally
The Future
It is to be noted that the Quetzalli Art Gallery in Denver held a reception in honor of Leonard Peltier later that afternoon which was attended by many loyal Peltier supporters. Unfortunately, Wambli Ho News was not able to be present. The Gallery continued its extraordinary exhibit of many of Leonard Peltier's paintings throughout the next day as well.
Hawkman ll by Leonard Peltier
Courtesy of Harvey Arden,
Have You Thought of Leonard Peltier Lately? www.haveyouthought.com
and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee www.leonardpeltier.org
