Standing Deer, of the Oneida/Choctaw nation, was murdered on Jan. 20, 2003. The circumstances surrounding this crime are not yet clear. A close comrade of Native American political prisoner Leonard Peltier, Standing Deer also was a political prisoner released from a Texas State prison on September 4, 2001 after over 25 years in prisons. In 1978, Standing Deer exposed a US government plot to kill Leonard when they were both imprisoned at the maximum security Marion Federal Prison in Illinois. During a 42 day fast protesting horrible conditions at Marion in 1984, Standing Deer said, “I will no longer allow the united states to continue to deny me the right to practice my religion.” Standing Deer stood up for all Native peoples and for all prisons, and continued his work in his too short time outside of the prison walls. He will be missed.
For more information contact the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, PO box 583, Lawrence, KS 66048, lpdc@freepeltier.org