Quest


 
Restless Spirit: The Murder of Eddie Peltier
A True Story
By
Cat West
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Eddie Peltier Murder
(Continues)
 

 

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Others were "reminded" (some were shown pictures) of the (then)  more recent Leonard Peltier case, wherein uncooperative witnesses were murdered. In one instance  particular to the Leonard Peltier case, a woman (Anna Mae) had been brutally murdered and later dismembered (an act of desecration by the FBI) with no purpose other than to reinforce the horror effect) for refusing to cooperate with the FBI's fabrication of events. 

In an interview regarding Anna Mae's murder and the FBI's cutting off her hands, the agent/spokesman chuckled out loud, smiled and shook his head and said that he still shakes his head and wonders why they did that.  They had never done it previously and they have not done it since.  The identification of the body was not in question.  Everyone knew that the dead woman with the bullet in the back of her skull was Anna Mae.  Also interesting to note that the FBI coroner had ruled her death as "accidental," in that she had "died from exposure." How the best and brightest of the FBI could miss the head wound and the bullet still lodged in her skull is another cause for this agent/spokesman to laugh.  Yeah, ain't it just a hoot? 

Eventually, in that case, the tactics of lying about evidence, fabrication of forensic lab results, and terrorizing people into lying to save their own lives, suborning perjury,  led to the arrest and trial of Leonard Peltier in a courtroom run by *Judge Benson.  (*Judge Benson, the most blatantly  biased judge ever to take the bench, notorious for not allowing any defense motions and highly favoring the prosecution in every case against Indians; was also the Judge of choice for the murder trial that followed the murder of Eddie *Peltier.)

* Eddie and Leonard were cousins. They lived on different reservations.  It is however a coincidence that Judge Benson, Lynn Crooks and Dennis Fisher as well as a crew of the same federal investigators concocted the identical methods and stories to once again, frame the innocent and allow the most vile, corrupt thugs continue to run their criminal enterprises on the reservations.  Criminal activities, murders, abuses, incest and embezzlement of millions of dollars, that continues, unchallenged, to this day.

The same tactics that had been employed in the Leonard Peltier case, were applied in the Eddie Peltier homicide "investigation."  People saw and heard about what happened to anyone who told the truth. 

Witnesses, real or scripted ended up in Protective Custody, or on the list of accused.  It all depended on how well they acted the script that was put in front of them.  Those who were dealt with this way lived in a terror beyond the sight of  Justice.

"Protective custody" meant that people were taken away from their families, not allowed any contact, and were put under the complete control of James Yankton, Jr. and his ugly brothers. They were abused, hand-cuffed, beaten and had to be hospitalized with broken ribs, concussions and broken arms.  One hotel that was housing the "protected witnesses" during the trial had so many complaints from other tenants about the beatings that they were asked to leave!

When these same witnesses showed up in court, bandaged, in casts, broken noses, black and blue, the Defense Counsels objected saying that it was clear that they had been intimidated.  Judge Benson said he saw no evidence of mistreatment and the trial continued.

The message was clear: Do what the Prosecution wants or pay the price and no one will help you.  Especially no one from the Justice Department!

Many decided to cooperate with James Yankton, Lynn Crooks, Dennis Fisher and Spencer Hellekson's script.   If they refused, they  would be beaten, threatened, terrorized  and if they still refused to perjure themselves, they were put on trial as co-defendants.  It worked.  The jury never knew.  Some wonder if the jury ever cared, really.  Not one among them questioned the proceedings, the bias and the broken bodies that were less than 12 feet away from them.

The "Witness" list went through some strange mutations of its own. The list of  "accused" fluctuated more than a Weight Watchers membership! It grew fatter with the reluctant and then thinned down again when one of them decided they didn't want any more pain, and were convinced they would be convicted despite their innocence.  Families were torn apart with decisions to stand their ground and go to prison, or lie about themselves, their neighbors, and people they barely knew and send them to prison. Lies were victorious, and the Truth was never given a chance.

Pure evil had taken over and was pushing its weight around, crushing anyone that stood up.  And it was easy to do, because those who stood up were abandoned by "good people" who didn't want to get involved. Good people, who, to this day, don't see how their inaction, their apathy and their cowardice has poisoned their community and their children and grand children.

"Good people" my ass.  It's not the criminals and the terrorists that kill a community, it is the "Good People" who do nothing; who turn their backs on those among them who stand up for what is right.  "Good People" who don't want to get "involved"; who now pay the price by watching their community stink with corruption, their children succumb to drugs, alcohol and hopelessness, and eventually suicide while "good people" stay silent and let it all happen.

Anyone can stand up to the evil and the evil would wither.  But evil thrives in places where the good hide under blankets of denial and addiction.  Bingo halls are full of parents who have abdicated the upbringing of their own children. Their homes crumble from neglect. "Good People," are the ones killing their community.

Eventually, there were 11 defendants.  At one point Bruce McKay was listed as a party-goer-witness at the scene of the murder, which was now moved to Bernice Juarez's residence.  He stayed on that list until the contradiction of having him at the other fictional party and in James Yankton's vehicle when the body was "discovered" was reviewed.  

(*NOTE:  At first, I thought that Bruce had become uncooperative and that to ensure his cooperation, he was shown that he could easily be put "on the list".  That this cemented his feet firmly on the Yankton's version of things.  But now I cannot tell if it was one of the many glaring errors and omissions that were later covered up in the police notes. I still don't know for sure.  All I know is that people went from suspect to witness list and vice-versa, more than once, and that people were added who didn't even know one another, if they voiced any question about how the investigation was proceeding. The list would grow and shrink without comment as to why or how)

I have since learned that the reason Bruce McKay was put on this suspect list was because the Yanktons found out that he had gone to the Church of the Seven Dolores on the Rez and had confessed to watching the Yanktons murder Eddie.  He thought he could save his soul.  Little did he know, the sanctity of that confessional seal had been broken within minutes of his walking out of the church.

So, it took a little convincing, but in the end, Bruce picked which side he wanted to be on.  More on Bruce McKay in the Blog at some future date. It will tell how he is rotting on the inside from alcohol and drug addiction.  How he cannot any longer chase away the demons that consume him.  He is on his last legs as of this writing (April 06), his insides putrefying, and the smell of Eddie's blood filling his nostrils as if it only happened yesterday.  Yet, he remains silent.  Cowardice consumes the weak from the inside out. Take a good look at him.  That is what it looks like when you deal with the devil and turn your back on innocence, truth and justice. 

Going to "confession" means nothing if you are not prepared to right the wrong you have done.  Or, did you think the Creator would say "tha's okay, Bro.  I give you a pass."  ?

Forgiveness, if that is what any of you are seeking, is not something you can pay for or pray for.  It is something you must earn by facing what you have done, in the light of day, or in the darkest hour, and owning it.  When you pray for forgiveness, the best you can get is the strength and the courage to do what is right.  Fail to do that,  you lose absolution.  Or, did Father Thom not get that across to you?

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