In the Shadow of Victory and Defeat

In the last few weeks, the political prisoner support community has received both a huge defeat and a substantial victory. On August 21, our community learned that Leonard Peltier was not only denied parole but received a 15-year hit. As voices of rage and anger filled the air in protest of this injustice, we received news- six days later- that Ojore Lutalo, New Afrikan Anarchist Political Prisoner, was released from the New Jersey prison system after 27 years.

While these two events have left us with mixed emotions, what is clear is that we must renew our commitment to the liberation of political prisoners and prisoners of war.

In little more than a decade, while we have seen the liberation of many of our comrades, we have also seen several pass away. The deaths of Albert ‘Nuh’ Washington and Richard Williams; the death of Merle Africa under questionable circumstances; and the suicide of Thomas Warner – have left us with the realization that some of our brothers and sisters will die behind the prison walls. Unless we mobilize behind the banner of liberation and freedom for these comrades, most may find themselves in that situation.

It is time that we as a movement must make a decision – shall we continue to shed tears of sorrow as our dear comrades whither away or shall begin to build a movement to free our friends and once again shed tears of joy? We hope to move in the direction of the latter.

On September 12^th, Anarchist Black Cross Federation – in conjunction with friends and allies throughout the U.S. – will be organizing Running Down the Walls, a 5k run to support political prisoners. As part of this event, twelve (12) solidarity runs will take place throughout various prisons and cities.

While this event may not liberate our dear comrades, it will let them know that there is a movement that cares about their wellbeing and future. It will let them know that we stand beside them and will continue to do so until they are free.

We would be remised if we did not mention that September 12^th is Leonard Peltier’s birthday and will be his 33^rd birthday behind bars. We also believe that it is imperative to mention that money raised for this event will go to the following:

• Chip Fitzgerald Homecoming Fund – Chip, a former LA Black Panther, is the longest held political prisoner in the United States. There has been a growing movement building around a parole campaign for Chip. For more information, check out www.freechip.org

• ABCF Warchest – Provides monthly stipends to political prisoners in the North America who received little or no financial assistance. For more information, check out: www.abcf.net

Below is a list of the locations where runs will take place. If you are interested in joining one of these events or creating your own, please contact us at: la@abcf.net

Ashland, OR; Albuquerque, NM; Arcata, CA; Denver, CO; Elmore, AL; Los Angeles, CA; Marion, IL; New York. NY; Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; Tucson, AZ; and Western Massachusetts.

For more information check out the following sites:

http://www.abcf.net - Anarchist Black Cross Federation (ABCF) site

http://www.abcf.net/la - Los Angeles ABCF site

http://denverabc.wordpress.com/ - Denver ABC site

Sundance Chief Fasts at White House for Leonard Peltier

SUN DANCE CHIEF FASTS AT WHITE HOUSE FOR LEONARD PELTIER: SEEKS MEETING WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA

As a result of Peltier’s recent parole denial, Ben Carnes, Choctaw Nation, and a Sun Dance Chief, states he will go to Washington, D.C. to stand and fast in front of the White House between September 5th – 12th, in hopes of securing a meeting with President Obama.

Earlier this year, the LP-DOC sent a letter to President Obama to discuss the case of Leonard Peltier, but the reply from the White House declined to invite members of the committee for a meeting.

Leonard Peltier has been an international symbol of American injustice based upon critical questions surrounding his conviction in 1977 in the deaths of two FBI agents. Amnesty International has designated Peltier as a political prisoner and a U.S. prosecutor has admitted in court during an appeal hearing that he did not know who killed the agents and cannot prove who did. A federal judge who heard this statement was unable to afford any relief wrote a letter to Sen. Inouye to ask the president to grant clemency.

Carnes is a recipient of the 1987 Oklahoma Human Rights Award for his stand against forced hair cutting of Native prisoners. He has been asked to speak before congressional committees and has served with numerous human rights, interfaith and Native organizations. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of Peltier for over 28 years, and first became a national spokesperson in 1991. He is also national support group coordinator and advisory board member for the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee.

“The basis of Peltier’s denial by the parole commission is one of hypocrisy. It is also beyond belief that the chair of the US Parole Commission, Issac Fullwood, who is lectures on ethics in law enforcement, would turn a blind eye to the FBI’s abuse of the investigative process. And Ms. Patricia Cushwa, commission member, and Chair of the Maryland parole commission recently supported a pardon for a man who had been executed, because there were questions about the case.” said Carnes. He said that there are questions about Peltier case that remains unanswered, and with this denial, the parole commission have made Peltiers life sentence a sentence of death as he won’t be eligible for parole for 15 years when he is 79 years old. Peltier will observe his next birthday on September 12 when he will turn 65. He has already served 33 years in prison.

Supporters are calling for a world wide 24 vigils on September 11th – 12th to begin at 8:45 AM.

*********

FROM THE LP-DOC:

We call upon all supporters to organize solidarity events and actions in conjunction with Ben’s solitary prayer fast in DC on September 12th.

Message from Ben Carnes of LPDOC

Friends,
This message is from Ben Carnes, Support Group Coordinator and National Spokesperson

I wish to offer my personal thanks to everyone for your continuous work and dedication. I was at my computer Friday morning when my google alert brought me the first news of the denial, and then I received an email from Wanbli containing the same news. It was like the dam busted, I received several hundred within the first hour and a half from many of you expressing your sense of outrage at the injustice done to Leonard.

One of my friends wrote something to the effect that a new movement was born today. I really want to see this and so does Leonard, I know we can all agree the White House needs to feel it.

So what is it going to take? It is going to take everything we got - 101%! And trust me - this kind of commitment demands sacrifices and you will be challenged for your stand on this principle. When Leonard was convicted, the late Lew Gurwitz stated, "This is a case that is not going to go away!" Lew lived his words traveling and sleeping in his car to create the awareness of this case. When he passed on, his brother Shep took up the cause. There are many of us who have been here supporting Leonard for years.

Last year, we made a commitment to do what we can to bring Leonard home before his birthday next month. We have less than three weeks to really put our hearts into this, and some of us have personal responsibilities and burdens to overcome and it comes down to making some hard decisions. It isn't going to be easy. So as a National Branch Support Group Coordinator, I want to ask everyone if they would consider again forming a branch support group in your area. We have a lot of organizing and networking to do with the clock ticking.

We have to overcome the media turning a blind eye to Leonard’s plight. They are more than happy to spread detrimental news of his parole, as you have noticed recently. Let’s turn this into something positive for us, each of you can write letters to the editor in your local respective paper. Sit down and write a letter expressing your disgust and outrage.

As most everyone has heard, the White House phone lines were shut down today immediately after the news came out. The fact they shut down the lines is proof of how they were overwhelmed. You know that was brought to the presidents’ attention. I hope he leaned back in his chair and looked out the window of the Oval Office, and really thought that day about Leonard Peltier. And how much he obviously means to the people to shut down his hi-tech phone system.

And relatives, we only flinch! We’ve known the system has not treated Peltier fairly in the 33 years of his imprisonment. Imagined what would happened if we shouted? So yes, we need a revitalized and disciplined movement, not only for Peltier or other native prisoners, but also for all of us.

Once, we were a movement of people who traveled around the country to help put out fires of racism, greed and abuse. We have learned a lot from those days of protesting, civil disobedience or conducting roadblocks and occupations of government offices some valuable lessons. We also know that we are now in the day of hi-tech surveillance capabilities and out of control police powers. We don’t need more people going to jail. The government is doing a good job as it is, so be mindful of what you do and say, but always speak from the heart and act with your conscience. Don’t allow oppression to silence your voice of dissent – not now.

When there is a call to action, we can be more effective in organizing in our own communities, you know what resources are available to you there and it is going to take solidarity actions across this country, including developing media contacts, mainstream/alternative, in your locale. That is a good place to start because we will grow in numbers quickly, whereas, if we attempted to travel across country at great expense, then we may cut our participating numbers down dramatically.

Those of us who have been doing the work had to start alone or we might have had help, but we all started somewhere. We had to, just as we have to keep building this up. So for now, go to www.whoisleonardpeltier.info and fill out the application to form a Leonard Peltier Branch Support Group (city or state), and then Monday morning, your first action is to ring the phone off the hooks at the White House, and start recruiting your friends and other organizations to follow this course of action. Do this as often as possible throughout the day, everyday.

We’ve been saying that we wanted to start a prairie fire of outrage to the Oval Office of the White House for Peltier, and now we have cause. Leonard Peltier should not have to spend one more birthday in prison for something the government admits they cannot prove.

Offer your prayers to the Creator to give you guidance, then join this international movement for our brother and lets bring him home.

Email completed application: bencarnes@eaglecouncil.com & wanbli@gvtc.com.

We've got some work to do now.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse and Leonard Peltier,
Ben Carnes

Hunger striker Thodoris Iliopoulos released from Greek prisons

Libcom.org Aug 28 2009

The last person remaining in prison pending trial for the December uprising in Greece, Theodoris Iliopoulos, was released after 49 days of hunger strike

Theodoris Iliopoulos the last remaining person in jail pending trial for the December uprising that rocked Greece last year after the police assassination of Alexandros Grigoropoulos was released on Thursday 27 August, after 49 days of hunger strike that nearly cost his life. The release came in the midst of a climax of struggle for his liberation, that has seen many mid-summer protest marches and demos across the country.

Locked Out 2009

The 2009 LockedOut resource list for queer prisoners

Can be downloaded here

New Afrikan Anarchist POW Ojore N. Lutalo is free

The Anarchist Black Cross Federation is pleased to announce the following:

New Afrikan Anarchist Political Prisoners- Ojore Lutalo - was released from New Jersey State Prison at 4pm on August 26th. Ojore is currently in Philadelphia getting reoriented to being on the streets. He will eventually be moving to New Jersey once he finds a space.

In the meantime, if anyone would like to donate funds to Ojore to help him get reoriented quicker, please contact Tim Fasnacht from the Philly chapter of the Anarchist Black Cross Federation. You can contact him at timABCF@aol.com

In Solidarity

ABCF

'Skip', Nadra and the Philadelphia Grand Jury

[col. writ. 8/13/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal

As the contretemps surrounding Dr. Henry Louis Gates and the Cambridge Police Dept. recedes into the roiling news flood to become fodder for the late night comedians, we learn, if anything, that even a president has limits when it comes to a "teachable moment."

For, as any schoolteacher could have taught him, learning is a two-way street. When the student is closed to the lesson, ain't nothing getting in. (And America ain't trying to hear nothing about it's racist present!).

"Skip" Gates, a man possessed of a healthy sense of humor, has even joked about the incident publicly, and in my imagination, I can even hear his distinctive chortle as he answers the questions, "Are you alright?", with the quip, "Yeah - I'm ok; the only thing hurting is my dignity."

Dr. Gates, a prolific writer, acclaimed academic and PBS broadcaster, was, precisely because of his known identity and status, spared the indignity of being beaten, or worse.

Most African-Americans are not so privileged, as shown by the beating administered to Nadra Foster, a KPFA radio producer, who was attacked, kicked in the head, handcuffed and arrested, after a station staffer called police, and told them (incorrectly) that Foster was banned from KPFA. According to witness accounts, Nadra was bum-rushed by at least eight cops.

This happened a year ago, Aug. 2008, and no network chatmeister put Nadra's story on the tube; nor did the then -Black presidential candidate announce he was a 'friend' of this Black mother, who worked for over a decade at the station as a volunteer producer, nor that her beating, kicking, handcuffing and arrest were handled 'stupidly' (as, of course, it was!) She still faces numerous charges including assault and trespass!

That's because, in America, it ain't nothing new.

Just recently, a Phila. grand jury, expertly led by a local DA, refused to indict half a dozen cops who brutally beat, kicked, bludgeoned and stomped three young Black men who were allegedly suspects in a local shooting (the 3 were later acquitted). The grand jury refused to return indictments despite videotapes from a hovering helicopter showing the men struck repeatedly by over a dozen cops as they lay face down in the street.

To add insult to injury, the grand jury report (scripted by prosecutors) insisted that the beatings were "helpful" rather than "harmful". I don't think the initial Rodney King grand jury, which cleared members of the LAPD, went that far!

But news is 'man bites dog.' It is that which is unusual. And Black people, men, women, and juveniles, being beaten by cops isn't unusual -- even if on tape.

There'll be no beer for the 3 young men beaten and battered in Phila. streets: nor for a Black Mom beaten at her radio station.

Their brutalization, it seems, isn't a 'teachable moment'.

Filiberto Ojeda Rios - US agents altered scene of assassination

CASE OF FILIBERTO OJEDA?S DEATH REAPPEARS WITH FORCE
Jes?s D?vila (Translation by Jan Susler)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, August 19, 2009 (NCM) ?
Agents of the United States altered the scene of
the death of the Macheteros commander Filiberto
Ojeda on September 24, 2005, in the presence of
functionaries of the government of Puerto Rico ,
according to newly available statements from witnesses to the bloody event.
The revelations are not limited to the manner in
which they removed objects from the home on the
day after they killed the commander of the
Boricua Popular Army?Macheteros, with the
forensic investigators doing nothing to avoid it
or include it in the final report. In addition,
an expert witness said that the flow of blood
indicated that the body was moved before taking
photographs de rigueur prior to removing the body.

The new information emerges, however, in moments
when the thorny topic has become a sort of taboo
for various sectors of the country. The lack of
interest is illustrated by the Bar Association?
which at one point conducted its own
investigation into the event? and which has
maintained silence in the face of a request for a
reaction to the verified fact that the Department
of Justice altered the final investigation report
to eliminate the part where its attorneys affirmed that it was a murder case.
But the new revelations, as well as the silences,
indicate that the case of Ojeda?s death is a very
volatile matter, the evocation of which continues
to inflame passions among many people in this
island nation which has been a colony of the U.S.
since 1898. These passions also emerge when the
White House maintains contacts with the pro U.S.
parties to review the political condition of
Puerto Rico, and there are no indications that
independentistas are included in the consults taking place in Washington .
All this contrasts with the Latin American scene,
where the figure of Filiberto Ojeda continues to
be a convening force, and as recently as this
month served as one of the motives for the
emergence of the first committee to support the
independence of Puerto Rico by citizens of
Nicaragua. This marks a change, as normally such
independentista committees outside of Puerto Rico
are formed mainly by Puerto Ricans in the diaspora.
Currently, the only official investigation in
progress into Ojeda?s death is the one being
conducted by the governmental Civil Rights
Commission, but this entity has made no
announcement to indicate whether it has had
access to new witnesses. What little is known is
that the CRC continues making efforts to bring to
Puerto Rico an expert in ballistics, which would
indicate that they are still trying to figure out
the trajectory of the fatal bullet shot by the
agent identified only as ?Brian,? of the commando
group that assaulted Ojeda?s house on September 23, 2005.
One of the key pieces for the prosecutors to be
able to determine that it was an assassination
was the decision that from the beginning of the
operation, Brian was seeking the angle for the
fatal shot, and that he fired the three shots
into the front door of the house during the first
shooting. Establishing with certainty the
trajectory of the last shots could clarify many
of the aspects which still remain unexplained.

The attack of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation?s HRT (Hostage Rescue Team)
commando group aborted a process of dialogue
which Ojeda had been having for several years
through the Catholic church, in which he was
exploring the possibility of a pacific procedure
for the U.S. to concede independence to Puerto
Rico . The Catholic prelate responsible for the
dialogue made this known to the FBI.
Ojeda suffered a slow agony and bled to death,
while the agents who surrounded his house refused
to allow assistance. His body was found by Puerto
Rican forensic experts who entered the house the
next day, accompanied by FBI agents. At that
time, photos were taken of Ojeda, face down with
his head next to the living room door.

The new expert testimony reveals the detection of
significant blood flow toward the back, instead
of toward the chest, which indicates that during
his agony he could have been face up, and not how
he was found when the FBI allowed the forensic photographer to enter.

The second testimony is equally if not more
serious. According to the source who had direct
access to the statements, the witnesses said that
when it was already assumed that the scene was
sealed for forensic examination, members of the
U.S. ERT (Evidence Recovery Team) began to remove
objects from inside the house, right in front of
the Puerto Rican investigators.

There were so many objects removed that,
according to the source, it has become virtually
impossible to determine where the shots landed inside the house.

The preservation of a crime scene is a basic,
routine procedure of forensic investigation, and
even more so if police agents are the object of
the investigation of the case. In fact, the
Puerto Rico Department of Justice took
responsibility for assuring, in presenting its
final report on the case, that it had been
determined that the scene was not altered by U.S. agents.

One of the most delicate aspects in the entire
affair is determining exactly what was the Puerto
Rico government?s participation in the whole
case, as in February of 2005, it delivered to the
FBI the investigative file, which noted the exact
coordinates of the place where Ojeda?s house was
located. During the assault, the Puerto Rican
government used its police forces to set up a
perimeter of protection for the FBI agents, and
cut the electricity to the sector, among other logistical support.

BAY AREA A BENEFIT FOR THE AETA 4

SF - A Benefit for the AETA4

Please join us for a night of decadent vegan desserts, drinks, silent
auction and a raffle to raise much needed defense funds for 4 local
individuals who are facing Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act charges.
Check the websites below for information about this ongoing and important case.

Friday August 28th, 8pm
1884 Market Street @ Laguna
San Francisco
Auction/Raffle - Desserts/Drinks
$5 - $20 sliding scale

Please contact us if you have anything you would like to donate for this
event at info@aeta4.org.

We will have some amazing items up for silent auction and raffle from
vegan companies, artists, bakeries, restaurants, and more!

More information is available at <http://www.aeta4.org/>www.aeta4.org
and <http://www.myspace.com/aeta4>http://www.myspace.com/aeta4

The serious nature of the offense: the ongoing kidnapping of Leonard Peltier

The serious nature of the offense: the ongoing kidnapping of Leonard Peltier

by Carolina Salda?a
Tuesday Aug 25th, 2009 9:47 PM
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/08/25/18619417.php

The United States Parole Board denies Native
American political prisoner Leonard Peltier the
right to spend the last years of his life in freedom.

In violation of the law, ethical standards, and
human rights norms, and in the tradition of
genocide against the original peoples of the
Americas, the United States Parole Board has
denied Native American political prisoner Leonard
Peltier the right to spend the last years of his
life in freedom. The Board?s shameful decision
was announced by federal prosecutor Drew Wrigley
on August 21. There won?t be another review of
his case until 2024, when Leonard is 79 years old.

As a member of the American Indian Movement
(AIM), Leonard Peltier was unjustly sentenced to
two life sentences for the deaths of two FBI
agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the
Lakota nation (state of South Dakota) on June 26,
1975. ?How long has this kidnapping gone on? 72
hours? A week? Several months? No. It?s been in progress for 33 ? years!

The Parole Board?s pretexts?
--that his release would diminish the serious nature of the offense
--that his release would promote disrespect for the law
--that he hasn?t expressed remorse
--that he?s had several write-ups in prison, including an escape attempt.

Like a parrot, the Associated Press reporter
repeats FBI lies spread by Wrigley: "Leonard
Peltier is an unrepentant, cold-blooded murderer
who executed FBI special agents Williams and
Coler, and in doing that he tore them from their
families and from their communities forever,"
Wrigley said. "Leonard Peltier is exactly where
he belongs ? federal prison, serving two life
sentences.?
<http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-peltier-parole,0,1411297.story>http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-peltier-parole,0,1411297.story


The following statement was made by Leonard?s
Defense Offense Committee on August 22:
?The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
acknowledges the receipt of the decision of the
United States Parole Commission to deny parole
for American Indian Political Prisoner Leonard
Peltier. We wish to thank our thousands of
supporters for their tenacious efforts, in
particular during the months leading to Leonard's
recent hearing. Currently we are in the process
of finalizing plans for efforts around exercising
our right to challenge this decision, advocate
for intervention by President Obama, and
succeeding in getting both proper medical
attention for Leonard and a transfer to a federal
prison closer to home. We will be issuing
directives within the near future.?
<http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/index1.htm>http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/index1.htm.


Amnesty Internacional expressed its
disappointment over the Board?s decision and
called for the immediate release of Leonard
Peltier.
<http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/usa-denial-parole-leonard-peltier-after-more-32-years-prison-disappoint>http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/usa-denial-parole-leonard-peltier-after-more-32-years-prison-disappoint


Leonard Peltier is widely recognized as a
spiritual warrior who struggles for his people In
his autobiographical prison writings, My Life is
My Sundance he writes: ?I?ve often wondered what
the FBI boys got out of all this, except the
hatred of Native Americans and the disrespect of
their own people. And what must they think of
themselves, those who partook of all these
manipulations and fabrications, when they look at
their face in the mirror each morning? They must
shudder at the sight of themselves, avert their
eyes from their own gaze in the mirror. So they
have to live the lie they created in order to
maintain an aura of pride and self-respect. Or
perhaps their arrogance builds an impregnable wall of delusion.? (p. 119).

Kidnapping is a serious crime and it is
aggravated every day, every week, every year. The
FBI, prosecuting attorneys, judges, jailers, and
Parole Board members all know Leonard Peltier was
condemned on fabricated evidence. His brothers
Dino Butler and Bob Robideau, also charged with
the same killings, were acquitted on grounds of
self-defense, justifiable in the reign of terror
existing on the Pine Ridge Reservation following
AIM?s daring occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973.
One of them has said he fired the bullets that killed the agents.

<http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/PELTIER_ATTORNEY_RESPONSE_TO_PAROLE_DENIAL.1.htm>http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/PELTIER_ATTORNEY_RESPONSE_TO_PAROLE_DENIAL.1.htm


The Board?s pretexts are the same ones used in many cases:

The serious nature of the offense? In the
campaign to gain the release of the MOVE 9,
Ramona Africa said: ?Historically, with political
prisoners especially, parole boards have just
basically thumbed their nose at their own laws to
keep prisoners in prison. They?ve said things
like ?the serious nature of the offense? as an
excuse to deny prisoners parole, especially
political prisoners. And that is absolutely
illegal. It makes no sense at all. Because when a
judge sentences a person..., he?s already taken
into account the ?serious nature of the offense?.
That?s what the judge is sentencing them on?the
offense they were convicted of. So to come back
later and say we?re not releasing you...because
of the serious nature of the offense is
completely illegal because that was already taken
into account. And what it amounts to is
re-sentencing a person.?
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KceYmm5nL_E&feature=PlayList&p=BFEA44728354F2CF&index=2>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KceYmm5nL_E&feature=PlayList&p=BFEA44728354F2CF&index=2


Promote disrespect for the law? Leonard has
something to say about the United States
government?s respect for the law in its war
against AIM: ?They hid behind their usual cloak
of ?national security? do their dirty work. Their
first tactic: Forget the law, the law?s for
suckers, subvert the law at will to get your man,
however innocent he may be...; lie whenever and
wherever you have to to keep the focus of inquiry
on your victims, not on your own crimes. I have
to admit, they succeeded brilliantly. In the name
of the Law, they violated every law on the books,
and in their deliberate strategy of putting
me??and how many other innocents???away in a cell
or a grave, they turned the Constitution of the
United States into pulp fiction. (My Life is my Sun Dance, p. 95-6)

Express remorse? As a matter of fact, Leonard has
said that he regrets the deaths of the agents,
but he has no remorse for having defending his
people under attack at the Jumping Bull ranch,
and he refuses to accept responsibility for
something he didn?t do, executing the two agents.

Infractions of the rules? The Board knows that
this man who is respected by hundreds of
thousands of people in the world has not had a
single infraction in the last ten years and that
his record of promoting peace in the world is so
distinguished that he has received six nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.

An escape attempt? Nobody remembers the
circumstances better than the FBI itself. Leonard
relates that Standing Deer (El Venado) was
recruited to kill him in prison, but was
courageous enough to warn him. Leonard then fled
because he believed his life was in danger. In
retrospect, he thinks that this was all part of a
plot by the federal agents to kill him while he
was trying to escape. Now he must live ?forever
stricken? with his grief for the deaths of the
prisoners who died due to the attempt: Dallas
Thundershield, shot in the back during the
escape; Bobby Garc?a, said to have hanged himself
in his cell; and Standing Deer, ?dumped back into
an iron hole? (Mi Vida es mi Danza al Sol, p?g.
164-167) only to be executed after he served his sentence.

The serious nature of the offense. The serious nature of countless offenses.