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SPEAKER: 25 years ago today, two FBI Special agents were gunned down in South Dakota, while searching for a robbery suspect near Pine Ridge. Leonard Peltier was charged with the murders, and sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison. Since then, many Peltier supporters have suggested he was framed.

FBI director Louis Freeh today released a statement remembering the slain agents, and reaffirming Peltier's guilt. Nick O'Hara worked for the FBI at the time of the murders, and was later the agent in charge of the Minnesota division, which includes the Dakotas, and he joins us now. Good morning.

NICK O'HARA: Good morning, Perry.

SPEAKER: Why, after so many years, is this case still significant enough that the FBI is releasing statements about it?

NICK O'HARA: I think if you don't look at the total scenario of what police officers responsibilities are, FBI agents, ATF, DEA agents, that if somebody doesn't remember the sacrifice made by those individuals doing their job, protecting the citizens. And the concern about releasing an individual who has never accepted responsibility, who has told many different stories about it.

I think the system is forgiving to a point, but when the person who is guilty of these heinous crimes does not accept any responsibility, shows no remorse, I think it's a mistake to put that person back out into society. To send him back to a reservation where he would be a threat to the inhabitants of the reservation, or to send him back into any part of society would be, I think, a grievous error.

SPEAKER: What needs to happen before people stop rallying around Leonard Peltier?

NICK O'HARA: Well, what I found here is that the furor or the support really significantly declined when the facts were brought forward again. And that was the job that I tried to accomplish since I moved to Minnesota in December of 91, was to get the facts of the court case back out, and let the population, let the citizens decide for themselves.

And once Chuck Haga from the Star Tribune wrote a wonderful article about the case, he went out and talked to Bruce Ellison, one of the attorneys representing Peltier out in Rapid City. He reviewed the facts, and he wrote the story, and put the facts together. And really, that had a tremendous effect on the reduced interest in this case. Because, once again, as Chuck wrote the article and played the facts back to the public, there really is no doubt about who did what, and Peltier is absolutely guilty.

SPEAKER: So more people, you think have come to agree with the FBI'S position on this?

NICK O'HARA: I think that as they see the facts, Perry, that they accept the fact that Leonard Peltier has had his day in court, and they have moved on. And I would suggest that that is appropriate. He still has his shot at getting out. He has a parole hearing every two years. He recently had one probably a month ago, and he was not released, and he should not be released. He has a violent, violent history. His confrontations with law enforcement over the years have led to about five shootouts where he tried to murder officers that were out there to pick him up.

SPEAKER: What are Peltier's chances of ever getting out of prison?

NICK O'HARA: I hope zero, because this is a man that deserves no pity. He gave no pity to the agents that day when he struck them down and shot them cold bloodedly. And I think without remorse on his part, showing that he understands what this is all about. He's accepted responsibility, and he is a different person. Without that being demonstrated by Peltier, my prayers are that he never sees the light of day as a free man.

SPEAKER: Nick O'Hara, appreciate your time this morning.

NICK O'HARA: Thanks for calling, Perry.