Blood member denied medical treatment

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A 20 year old Blood Reserve man is almost speechless at being refused medical treatment following his arrest Friday by the Pincher Creek RCMP.

Willis Beebe, nursing a jaw broken in two places and speaking quietly through closed teeth, is upset because RCMP did not allow him to see a doctor after they arrested him for

public intoxication.

Beebe said he asked RCMP officers on a least two separate occasions if he could get medical attention because of a beating he received earlier in the evening.

"All (the jail guard) said is 'you're going to have to tough it out,'" said Beebe Tuesday after returning home from three days in a Calgary hospital.

"They didn't seem like they wanted to help. They just check on you to see if you're still alive."

After being released in the morning, he went straight to Pincher Creek Municipal Hospital, 100 km west of Lethbridge, and was immediately transferred to Calgary by ambulance.

Beebe was diagnosed with two breaks in the jaw forcing doctors to insert a metal plate in each side of his mouth.

His head was also bruised in the beating.

Sometime after being put in jail, he asked a guard to move him from the drunk tank to a holding cell in order to have a blanket and mattress.

This was granted but Beebe couldn't sleep because his mouth was still bleeding continuously and was in a lot of pain, he said.

At Pincher Creek Hospital, doctors kept Beebe upright to endure his breathing didn't become blocked.

Beebe's father, Wilbert, is incensed because his son might have lain down when he changed cells.

"He could've died (in the police cell)," said Wilbert.

Pincher Creek Staff Sgt. Syd Perkins said Tuesday RCMP follows a policy outlining steps to be taken with prisoners claiming to be injured or who appear ill.

"It's a judgment call" by the arresting officer, said Perkins Tuesday.

Earlier Friday evening, Beebe said he was attacked by unknown assailants and roughed up - eventually losing consciousness.

"All I remember is getting hit, I guess I was knocked out for a while. When I came to, he walked to a friend's house and rinsed his mouth with water before walking to hospital.

About a block from hospital, Beebe said RCMP picked him up and "threw me in the back of the car."

Even though Beebe acknowledged he had been drinking earlier, he said by the time he was arrested, he was sober.

"F I was that drunk, I wouldn't have been able to talk to them," said Beebe.

Willis' father isn't worried about finding those responsible for his son's condition but is more worried about the lack of concern by RCMP for an injured man.

"I'm worried about the safety of others too. It could happen again. I think something should be done," said the older Beebe. "(That's) not my concern at the moment. Me concern is

he didn't get treatment right away."

The Beebes were expecting to speak with their lawyer, Jim Gladstone, late Tuesday to discuss plans for further action.

RCMP are conducting an investigation into the Beebes' allegations.

The Beebes are also planning to contact the Federal Human Rights Commission.

The Rolf Inquiry, looking into strained relations between the Blood Band and police, is taking a three-week break.

Some witnesses have testified white gangs wait for Natives outside bars and offer liquor before beating them, but no specific instances have been named.