BCCLA Re-Posts Willey Video, After CPC Pulls It

Friday, February 03, 2012 03:59 AM

Prince George, B.C. - The BC Civil Liberties Association has posted two video clips to the internet, showing Clay Alvin Willey's treatment while in-custody at the Prince George RCMP cell block.

And the association is questioning the independence and transparency of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP for first posting, then removing the clips from the web on the day the CPC released its final report into Willey's 2003 in-custody death.

The two video clips are 9-minutes-17s long and 7-minutes-21s long and show Willey being dragged from the police SUV into the detachment, and his handling until paramedics arrived to transport him to hospital. He went into cardiac arrest en route and died the following day.

"The video was posted on the internet by the CPC on a popular video sharing website at the beginning of the day without password restriction, to accompany release of their report into the Clayton Alvin Willey matter," says the BCCLA's Robert Holmes. He says it was pulled before 1pm Pacific time, meaning media outlets were unable to access it for evening news report purposes. In responding to the CPC report on Wednesday, Prince George RCMP said they would not be releasing the video as it is part of ongoing civil litigation. They did say it had been viewed in the past by Willey's family, the BCCLA, and publicly during the Coroner's Inquest.

The Civil Liberties Association also takes issue with the length of time it took for the final report to come out - the CPC sent its interim report to the RCMP Commissioner in November of 2010 and didn't receive a response back until January 5th of this year. The final report was released Tuesday. "The CPC sat idly by while 14-months passed and the RCMP didn't return the Willey file until the BCCLA shamed them into action," says Holmes. "Many more complaint files remain in the hands of the RCMP, not being returned to the CPC in a timely manner. The Federal Government needs to act, and now."

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Posted on Friday, February 03, 2012 03:59 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: lilmiss2010 on February 3 2012 6:18 AM

I dont understand what is trying to be accomplished by creating further blame. The report admitted wrongdoing, and that was the goal for the BC Civil Liberties. There have been many truth and reconcilliation efforts on behalf of our government and other agencies in recent years. I understand the importance of hearing the truth, because it allows those affected to grieve, and in time look to the future instead of being stuck in the past. I encourage whatever "truth crusade" our government seems to be on. Of course we should reflect on how we can learn from the past, but video or no video, we cant change the past. We can analyze all of the " what if?" variables in the replay of events, but in the end we need to accept what has been offered by the commission. They admit wrongdoing, and we need to accept that this is a chance to forgive, and maybe with time rebuild the connections that have been severed. They took the first step, and unless we want a divided community, we have to bring ourselves to try and forgive and allow ourselves to be able to trust again. Peace is not achievable if only one side is making an effort. If we cant atleast try to forgive and would rather remain angry and bitter, I wonder if any of us will ever see the end of wars. My dream is to one day see a world free of armed conflict and wars, prisons, hunger and poverty, but that would require every human worldwide to want the same. Most comments I will likely get will be rude, angry, bitter, and resentful, but I see how it is nearly impossible to have a civil discussion online without verbal attacks spewing back and forth as people try to cut each other down. Although a tiny population in comparison to the world, I dont know if peace is possible in PG, never mind the rest of the world.

Posted by: gus on February 3 2012 8:07 AM

Here is my part of a civil discussion.

I can understand what you are saying, but I do not share your belief. In our society that is still allowed.

I believe that we have to step back outside of this incident and look at it from further away and project the consequences into the future.

It is water under the bridge and certainly cannot be undone. But I am a strong believer that we, as a civil society, must continue to learn from the past in order to improve into the future.

To hide things, even after they have been exposed for a while, is to rewrite history and sanitize it. We do enough of that already. That, in my mind, is not how to learn from the faults of our human frailties.

Posted by: Thunder on February 3 2012 10:22 AM

I watched these videos and while I understand that this person was apparently out of control and under the influence of drugs, I have a difficult time understanding why he was treated so callously. At one point I counted 10 or more officers standing around watching him. The paramedics didn't seem to be too concerned about his physical state and I didn't see anyone take vital signs or anything of the sort. The only concern seemed to be to keep him restrained. I find it really hard to fathom how so many professionals could surround this person who must have been in trouble physically and no one could see it or help him?

Posted by: Resident on February 3 2012 12:58 PM

To many bleeding hearts that don't know Willey's history and the extent of the havoc he played in law abiding people's lives.
Synpathy. Not from me. Next time turn off the cameras.

Posted by: lmorge on February 3 2012 1:50 PM

For Wiley's sake: what goes around comes around. Karma's a biatch isn't it, Clay?

Posted by: Vulgar Sage on February 3 2012 2:24 PM

Ya we can stand around pissing and whining all day but if I was going to send some in to get the job done I would have to say the RCMP would be my first choice.You can stomp up and down the street waving placards all day after the fact but I think a lot of damage was averted and more than likely physical damage also...

Posted by: gus on February 4 2012 6:43 AM

Could someone please tell me what this Wiley fellow did to deserve this kind of treatment and these kind of workds from people on here? I mean, was he a child molester, a rapist, a murderer? Did he commit treason and give aways state secrets? Did he extort millions from old folks on limited income? What did he do that causes such venom to spew from some people on here?

Posted by: gus on February 4 2012 6:56 AM

You know, I have looked all over the place and asked several doctots about the treatment of a patient with a cocain overdose and I have not been able to see that anything that was done to Wiley in the still photo sequence which meshes with either the standard practices or best practices of such treatment.

In case people wish to know what that may consist of:

Establish the patient's airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs); provide oxygen; obtain intravenous access; monitor and frequently check vital signs including temperature; monitor glucose levels for patients with altered mental status; carefully use naloxone for patients with altered mental status.

Administer benzodiazepines to manage seizures.

Patients with cocaine toxicity may be combative, aggressive, and disoriented, and have delusions of persecution or hallucinations.

Caution is appropriate because the patient may attempt to harm care providers.

Physical restraint should be avoided if possible due to risks of rhabdomyolysis and hyperthermia.

When required, physical restraint should be used only with caution and adequate personnel.
------------------------------------

My heart soars like an eagle to see all those who care so much about people on this blog. ;-)

Posted by: gus on February 4 2012 7:58 AM

http://vancouver.ca/police/policeboard/documents/0648DrugOverdosePolicy2006Jun14.pdf

"In Vancouver, they have a policy where police only respond in cases of concern for safety of the public, and if they do respond, it is solely to support the urgent medical need".
--------------------------------
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1124427

That is the report from the Toronto Star. Quite a difference from the report on the news here.