Law

Blackfeet families seek answers for deaths

Monday, October 1, 2007

Two families from the Blackfeet Nation in Montana are frustrated with the lack of action on the deaths of their loved ones.

On July 24, Michael Walling, 22, died after being attacked with a baseball bat. Family members say the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs don't appear to have made progress with the investigation.

On July 11, William White Quills Jr. died after an incident at a house party. His mother, Cheryl Heavy Runner, wants to hire a private investigator because she says the BIA and the FBI aren't trying to find the killer.

The tribe held a meeting in April where reservation residents complained about the state of law enforcement. Many say crime has increased since the BIA took over the tribe's police force in February 2003.

"If we ever get justice we'd fall over," council member Rodney "Fish" Gervais told The Great Falls Tribune. "You expect nothing to happen. They (BIA and FBI) could catch it on video and they still wouldn't prosecute."

Get the Story:
Families seek answers in wake of Browning killings (The Great Falls Tribune 10/1)

Relevant Links:
Blackfeet Nation - http://www.blackfeetnation.com