Customer Reviews

Ghost Dancing the Law: The Wounded Knee Trials

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If you have an interest in the legal presentation in the Wounded Knee trials that led to Leonard Peltier's imprisonment, this is your book. Sayer demonstrates with clear evidence how corrupt out legal system is coupled with the power of the media in political matters, such as the wrongful imprisonment of Peltier.

The book gets into documents and testimony that you would think proves Peltier's innocence. However, there is a force that is greater than the truth, and that is corruption!

The American Indian Movement (AIM) and its attorneys have little chance as long as the American public remains blind to the powers that be in the legal system and in government. This book is an eye opener. However, be aware that the reading can seem mundane at times unless you have a keen eye and interest in legal jargon. I was lost a few times but finishing the book was worth it to hear the other version of "truth".

I recommend this book if you have any interest at all in the Leonard Peltier story or of the corruption of a system that works for the government, not for the people.

This is an extremely well-researched book on the historical context and media impact on the trials that followed the Occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973. John William Sayer's thoughtful treatment of both the background of the occupation and the culture of the time offers broad and ample treatment of the trial, composition of the legal team, the formation of AIM and their role in addressing the excesses of both the US and US-supported "Tribal Government." While I'm not a particular fan of comparing authors, I have to say that Sayer's account compares very well with some of Thomas Wolfe's better non-fiction efforts. This is one of those books that will have you devouring one page after another, reading every note when you're done and hungering for another book of comparable quality. For students of political movements in the 60's or Native/U.S. Relations, this is also a book you will want to keep on your "reference shelf" long after your first reading.

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