Williams' letter, aside from details, has two major faults. First, it totally ignores the context. The result was the deaths of almost 300 people. Most of these cases were never investigated or remain open to this day. Second, Williams and the Agents Association fail to share with readers the admissions of judges and federal prosecutors concerning government misconduct in their pursuit and prosecution of Peltier.
Several examples point to parts of the unmentioned story.
Senior federal judge Gerald Heaney, who presided at the Eighth Circuit appeal, later came forward and wrote a letter to President Reagan urging him to commute Peltier's sentence, stating that evidence of unlawful misconduct by federal agencies, including the FBI, before, during, and after Peltier's trial in Fargo demand that he be given executive clemency. The ongoing public relations campaign of the FBI Agents Association to keep the full story of the Peltier case from public scrutiny belies those high values. It is a disservice to the institution, to the agents who serve to the highest standards, and to the country. Justice and truth would be far better served by putting the entire record on the table where the light of day and the flame of truth could purge this gross injustice from our public life. Maintaining the silence about investigative and prosecutorial misconduct does not advance justice or lead to truth.