American Indian Movement (AIM) Myth Busters

Welcome to our blog site. We are the AIM Myth Busters, Joe and John Trimbach, authors of the historical perspective, American Indian Mafia, An FBI Agent’s True Story About Wounded Knee, Leonard Peltier, and the American Indian Movement, (AIM). Our purpose is to correct the historical record of the Pine Ridge Reservation from the 1970s and in the process, promote healing, new understanding, and needed solutions for solving the problems facing Indian Country. Much of the history from 1970s Pine Ridge is characterized by violence and controversy. We believe that the time has come for healing and closure. But before true healing can occur, it is necessary to revisit many of the topics that have served to divide the Indian community, alienate them from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, and create controversy where none existed before the truth fell victim to politics and cover-up. We have chosen to begin our blog page and web site domain on June 26 to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the deaths of FBI Special Agents Ron Williams and Jack Coler. On that date in 1975, both men, ages 28, were gunned down in a field not far from Pine Ridge village. As Agent Coler lay bleeding to death after suffering a severe gun shot wound to his arm, and as Agent Williams tried to save his partner’s life with a tourniquet, three armed men approached them. One of the gunmen placed a high-powered rifle to Ron Williams’ head and blew him away. The killer then fired two shots into the head of Jack Coler, again at point-blank range.

Ronald Williams, 1947-1975 Jack Coler, 1947-1975

The evidence shown at trial and elsewhere strongly indicated that AIM member Leonard Peltier was the triggerman. In 1977, Peltier was convicted of aiding and abetting, or helping in the murders, a level of guilt that carries the same level of complicity and punishment as if the defendant actually pulled the trigger. In fact, the evidence then and now clearly points to Peltier’s guilt. At Peltier's parole board hearing in December 1993, the Parole Commission wrote:

“[a]lthough the above evidence is consistent with your having, while at the scene of the murders, aided and abetted the use of the above-mentioned AR-15 rifle by another individual to execute the agents, the Commission is persuaded that the greater probability is that you yourself fired the fatal shots… It would be unjust to treat the slaying of these F.B.I. agents, while they lay wounded and helpless, as if your actions had been part of a gun battle. Neither the state of relations between Native American militants and law enforcement at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation prior to June [26], 1975, nor the exchanges of gunfire between individuals at the Jumping Bull Compound and the law enforcement agents who arrived there during the hours after Agents Coler and Williams were murdered, explains or mitigates the crimes you committed… Your release on parole would promote disrespect for the law in contravention of 18 U.S.C. 4206(a).”

The evidence against Peltier has only grown in credibility and corroborative value since that fateful day in 1975. Just a few years ago, in February, 2004, the former common-law wife of AIM leader Dennis Banks recalled what Peltier said a few months after the murders. Ka-Mook Banks was testifying in another murder trial, that of Arlo Looking Cloud, convicted of aiding and abetting the murder of fellow AIM member Anna Mae Pictou Aquash. Just as the young Agents were brutally deprived of their lives, so was 30-year-old Anna Mae deprived of her life on orders from the AIM leadership. As the Supreme Court of British Columbia so stated, coincidentally on June 26th, 2007:

“Anna Mae Aquash was executed by a single gunshot to the back of her head on orders from the American Indian Movement because they believed her to be an informant for the F.B.I.”

Anna Mae Pictou Aquash, 1945-1975

The AIM leadership had guessed wrong. Anna Mae was never an informant for the FBI. With the same level of ruthlessness, Leonard Peltier executed Ron Williams and Jack Coler some six months before his leaders would mete out the same punishment to Anna Mae. Peltier also acted under false assumptions, believing the Agents were there to arrest him. The Agents did not even know he was on the reservation. In the Looking Cloud trial, Peltier’s name came up somewhat unexpectedly, this time in relation to Anna Mae’s state of mind. When questioned by the US Attorney, Ka-Mook bravely testified to the words of a man who admitted his guilt in a forgotten moment of braggadocio and in the process, implicated himself in Anna Mae's demise as well:

McMahon: While you were camping in Washington state, was Anna Mae allowed to leave by herself?
Ka-Mook: No.
McMahon: Was she always being watched?
Ka-Mook: Somebody always went around with her.
McMahon: Were there any allegations or accusations made toward her while you were camping in Washington state?
Ka-Mook: Yes.
McMahon: Who made those?
Ka-Mook: Leonard.
McMahon: Did you hear him?
Ka-Mook: Yes.
McMahon: What did he say?
Objection overruled.
McMahon: What did Mr. Peltier say?
Ka-Mook: He said that he believed she was a fed, and that he was going to get some truth serum and give it to her so that she would tell the truth.
McMahon: While you were camping in Washington, were there any discussions had in which you and Anna Mae were present in which sensitive material that you wouldn’t have wanted in the hands of law enforcement was discussed?
Ka-Mook: Yes.
McMahon: Give me an example?
Objection overruled.
Ka-Mook: We were sitting one day at the table in this motor home. Anna Mae was sitting by me, and my sister was on the other side, and Dennis was standing in the aisle, and Leonard was sitting on this side, he alternated between sitting and standing. And he started talking about June 26, and he put his hand like this [gesture holding a gun] and started talking about the two FBI Agents.
McMahon: What did he say?
Objection overruled.
McMahon: Tell the Court as best you remember exactly what he said.
Ka-Mook: Exactly what he said?
McMahon: Exactly what he said.
Ka-Mook (extremely upset): He said the motherfucker was begging for his life, but I shot him anyway.

Next time: Why "Mafia" and why now?