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Butler and Robideau were the first to be arrested, and at their trial they stated that they had fired in self-defense. The jury believed the act was justified due to the atmosphere of terror that prevailed at Pine Ridge at the time. They were both found innocent.
The FBI was furious about the verdict and dropped the charges against Jimmy Eagle, according to their memos, "...in order to direct the full weight of the prosecution on Peltier.
Meanwhile, Leonard Peltier went to Canada, believing that he would never have a fair trial. On February 6, he was arrested and then extradited to the United States due to the statement of a woman named Myrtle Poor Bear, who said she had been his girlfriend and had seen him fire at the agents. As a matter of fact, she had never known him and was not present at the time of the shootout. In a later statement, she said that she had been coerced into giving false testimony as a result of being terrorized by FBI agents.
Two life sentences!?
The only evidence against Leonard Peltier was the fact that he was present at the Jumping Bull ranch during the fatal shoot-out. These are just a few examples of the injustice of the trial:
-The case wasn't brought before the judge who had presided over the trial of Robideau and Butler, but instead before another judge with a reputation for making decisions favorable to the prosecution.
- Myrtle Poor Bear and other important witnesses were forbidden to testify about FBI misconduct.
- Testimony about the "reign of terror"- on the Pine Ridge Reservation was severely limited.
-Important evidence, such as conflicting ballistic reports, was deemed inadmissible.
-The red pick-up that had been followed onto the ranch was suddenly described as Peltier's "red and white van."
-The jury was isolated and surrounded by federal marshals, making jurors believe that AIM was a security threat to them.
-Three young Native Americans were forced to give false testimony against Peltier after having been arrested and terrorized by FBI agents.
-The prosecutor couldn't produce a single witness who could identify Peltier as the shooter.
-The government said that a cartridge found near the bodies was fired from the presumed murder weapon, and alleged that this was the only pistol of its kind used during the shootout and that it belonged to Peltier.
As a result of the Freedom of Information Act suit, FBI documents turned over to the defense showed that:
1. More than one weapon of the type attributed to Peltier had been present at the scene.
