8th Circuit Court decision:
www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/09/04/071745P.pdf


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www.bemidjipioneer.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D97S9TPG0

Court rules against Peltier in documents case

The Associated Press
Wednesday, April 29, 2009


MINNEAPOLIS

Imprisoned American Indian activist Leonard Peltier has lost another round in court in his effort to compel the FBI to disclose about 10,500 pages of documents about his case.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis ruled on the case Wednesday, rejecting Peltier's claim that the district court should have reviewed all the documents, not just a sample of about 500 pages.

The appeals court said Peltier didn't make that argument during the trial so the district court in Minnesota didn't abuse its discretion by not doing it.

Further, the appeals court said the lower court was correct in ruling that the Freedom of Information Act's exemptions cover the bulk of the disputed documents, shielding them from disclosure.

Peltier is serving two life sentences for the deaths of two FBI agents during a 1975 standoff near Oglala, S.D., on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He has appealed his conviction several times, without success.

In 2001, he requested all the FBI's records about himself and received more than 70,400 pages of records.

However, the FBI withheld thousands more pages because it claimed they were excempt from the FOIA because they could disclose the identity of confidential sources, among other reasons.

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Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press
© 2009 Forum Communications Co. Fargo, ND 58102

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.]

Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:16:12 -0700
Subject: Mayday: trouble ahead for Darfur
From: "Amnesty International USA" alerts@takeaction.amnestyusa.org


 
Health officials warn that after May 1st illnesses and deaths in Darfur will increase as people struggle to survive without the assistance of humanitarian aid.

Demand that Sudan's trusted circle of allies uses its influence to urge the government of Sudan to fully restore humanitarian aid.



Dear --,

Nearly two months ago, the Sudanese government decided to expel 13 international humanitarian aid groups from working in and around Darfur.

These are the consequences…

According to a joint UN-Sudanese humanitarian assessment team, around May 1st we will see a sharp drop in the health and well-being of people living throughout the Darfur crisis region. Emergency food rations will run out. Clean water, an already rare commodity, will become even scarcer. And to top it off, a "rainy season" will render on-the-ground movement extremely difficult, escalating the risk of disease and danger to children and the elderly.

If Sudan's leaders won't step in to steer their country away from inevitable doom, then they will bear the blame for this new phase to the crisis in Darfur.

Urge UN and Sudanese Ambassadors to use their influence to press the government of Sudan to fully restore humanitarian aid in and around Darfur:
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&aid=11914&ICID=D0904A01&tr=y&auid=4797029 .


Two weeks ago, in light of the looming May 1st deadline, U.S. Senator John Kerry traveled to meet with Sudan's leaders on the heels of a separate visit made by the U.S. special envoy to the country. After speaking with senior Sudanese officials, Senator Kerry announced that Sudan would restore partial aid to devastated areas. He admitted that "a partial restoration of capacity is not sufficient," but it is a step in the right direction.

May 1st is just days away, yet Sudan's leaders have not confirmed their commitment to restore any aid. We are deeply concerned that Sudan may be trying to duck its responsibilities.

Senator Kerry's visit may have been noteworthy for U.S. diplomacy in Sudan. But Sudan's leaders will need to hear from those key groups and individuals they trust most before they will budge on this issue. That's why we'll have to convince the Sudanese Ambassador to the U.S. and the African Union and Arab League Ambassadors to the UN that restoring aid is the right thing to do. Please email the Ambassadors asking them to encourage Sudan to restore full aid in and around Darfur. And if you have an extra moment, please follow-up your email with a call, letter, or fax to their offices to guarantee that this message is heard loud and clear.

There's no negotiating this May 1st deadline. If Sudan's leaders don't act now, masses of people will face starvation, thirst, and disease ­ a grim situation that could have easily been avoided.

Sincerely,

Denise Bell
Darfur Campaign
Amnesty International USA

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© Copyright 2009 Amnesty International USA 5 Penn Plaza New York, NY 10001 212.807.8400

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.]

Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:58:17 GMT
From: "NRDC BioGems - Frances Beinecke" biogemsdefenders@savebiogems.org
Subject: Help protect endangered grizzlies



Dear --,

In the next few weeks, the U.S. Forest Service plans to reopen a road that runs through the heart of grizzly bear habitat in Wyoming's Sweetwater Valley.

Please go to
www.nrdconline.org/campaign/biogems_bears_0409?rk=G1N1aJ9qFGJaE
and urge the Forest Service to keep the road permanently closed.

With encroaching development on nearby lands, the Sweetwater Valley -- inside the Shoshone National Forest -- has become a secure oasis for threatened and imperiled wildlife.

In the eight years that the road has been closed, an abundance of wildlife has thrived here, including grizzly bears, wolves, lynx, cougars and moose.

In fact, grizzlies that have just come out of hibernation are grazing right now on grass and other plants found in the valley.

There is no rationale for the Forest Service's proposal to reopen the road, which leads nowhere and has languished for years. Reopening the road would only disturb and threaten the Sweetwater Valley's wilderness and wildlife.

Please go to
www.nrdconline.org/campaign/biogems_bears_0409?rk=G1N1aJ9qFGJaE
right away and urge the Forest Service to leave the road closed. Time is running out, as forest officials plan to reopen the road in the next few weeks.

Thank you for taking action to protect our remaining western wildlands.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council