Erdrich on Peltier

Attorney General Nominee Eric Holder Declares “Waterboarding Is Torture”On Wednesday night, I spoke with the Native American novelist and poet Louise Erdrich about Leonard Peltier.

LOUISE ERDRICH: I sat through that trial as a young person, and I listened to all the evidence, and I heard it all, and there was no way I could see that this person would be convicted. There simply wasn’t evidence. And he was convicted. He received two life sentences, consecutive life sentences, and is incarcerated to this day, although human rights organizations all over the world have called for his release.

AMY GOODMAN: Do you think your writing could literally liberate someone?

LOUISE ERDRICH: No. I tried to write—there was a—I had an op-ed published, hoping that President Clinton would pardon Leonard Peltier. That did not happen. We all know who got pardoned instead.

AMY GOODMAN: You might remember, that was Marc Rich.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Mr. X Did It? and Infighting Over an Indian.