As Leonard Peltier’s parole hearing approaches on June 10, there is renewed hope and vigorous debate about his potential release. Convicted for the killing of two FBI agents during a 1975 shootout on the Oglala Nation, Peltier has been imprisoned for over 47 years. Among the voices calling for justice is Kevin Sharp, a former Navy veteran and former federal judge.
Sharp is Co-Vice Chairman of Sanford Heisler Sharp and Co-Chair of the Public Interest Litigation Group. He served as a U.S.
District Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee from 2011 to 2017, including as Chief Judge from 2014 to 2017, handling over 4,000 cases, including high-profile ones like . With nearly 30 years of experience, Sharp has litigated complex civil cases, including opioid litigation and significant employment settlements. He has received numerous accolades, including The American Lawyer’s South Trailblazers and Lawdragon 500.
Since 2019, he has led efforts to secure presidential clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sharp was on a recent Native Bidaské. He was asked by Native News Online’s editor Levi Rickert to discuss Leonard Peltier's poor health at age 79 after decades in prison and his belief that Peltier risks death if kept in maximum security.
He discusses the historical context of the 1975 Pine Ridge murders, and Peltier's involvement with the American Indian Movement, arguing Peltier's constitutional rights were violated during his 1977 trial. Peliter’s June 10 parole hearing will con.
