Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who was imprisoned in 1975 for the deaths of two FBI agents, has been released from federal custody following a sentence commutation issued by Joe Biden during his final days in office this January.

Upon his release, Peltier expressed his joy, declaring, “I am finally free!”

“While they may have confined my body, they could never capture my spirit!” he continued. “My heartfelt thanks go out to all those around the globe who advocated for my release.

“I am going home at last and eagerly await reconnecting with my friends, family, and community. Today is a day of celebration.”

Peltier has consistently claimed his innocence since he was convicted, and after nearly 49 years of incarceration, Biden ordered Peltier—now 80 years old and suffering from health issues—to serve the remainder of his time in home confinement.

Regarding the commutation, Biden noted, “This decision allows Mr. Peltier to spend his remaining days in home confinement; however, it does not serve as a pardon for his original crimes.”

The National Congress of American Indians hailed the commutation as “historic,” emphasizing that the case represents the systemic injustices faced by Indigenous Peoples.

Peltier’s conviction stemmed from a 1975 incident on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where a shootout occurred between two FBI agents attempting to serve arrest warrants and members of the American Indian Movement (AIM). This organization aimed to address police violence and discrimination faced by Native Americans.

During the exchange of gunfire that ensued, both agents, Jack Coler and Ronald Williams, lost their lives, and Joseph Stuntz, a Native American, was also killed.

Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and an active AIM participant, was one of several individuals charged in connection with the agents’ deaths.

He received a conviction on two counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

Two other members of AIM were acquitted after claiming self-defense.

Peltier has continually maintained that he did not shoot the agents and that prosecutors withheld vital evidence that could have aided in his defense while also fabricating testimonies against him.

During the trial, the prosecution alleged that Peltier shot both agents at point-blank range, while he admitted to being present and firing a weapon—albeit from a distance—claiming it was an act of self-defense.

A key witness who initially claimed to have seen Peltier shooting the agents later recanted this testimony, stating that her original statements had been coerced.

For many years, prominent figures such as Nelson Mandela, Pope Francis, and James H. Reynolds, the prosecuting attorney in Peltier’s case, have advocated for his release.

More recently, Reynolds has reached out to various presidents, requesting that clemency be granted to Peltier and referred to his prosecution as “unjust”.

In a 2021 letter to Biden, Reynolds pointed out that Peltier’s ongoing incarceration highlights the flaws within the justice system.

Reynolds stated that Peltier’s “conviction and ongoing imprisonment represents an era and a judicial system that no longer aligns with our society’s values.”

Peltier had been denied parole as recently as July and was not up for consideration again until 2026.

Despite opposition from former FBI director Christopher Wray, who labeled Peltier a “remorseless killer” in a letter to Biden, the president went forward with the commutation. Wray had urged the president to deny clemency, stating that it would be “entirely unjustified” and “an affront to the rule of law.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.