Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Fort Good Hope (June 17/02) - The wife of a Fort Good Hope man who was beaten within an inch of his life wants the community to band together and stop the violence.

"I think the community has to get together and work together," said Rose McNeely, wife of Brian McNeely, who was severely beaten last month. "I know the elders are trying but the young people are turning away."

On May 12, Brian McNeely was walking home drunk from a party at around 8 a.m. when he said a man he barely knew attacked him and beat him so severely he ended up in an Edmonton hospital four days later.

"I remember his face and I blacked out," said McNeely, 39, a father of four who is president of the community Metis local and works as a heavy machinist.

McNeely said he somehow struggled home after the beating and collapsed in bed only to wake up a few hours later and see a swollen face in the bathroom mirror.

"I was shocked," said McNeely, who was sent to Inuvik that week and later flown to Edmonton, where doctors screwed two metal plates into his skull. His face had been fractured in four places.

"I still get headaches behind the back of my head," said McNeely, who was told by doctors he was a kick to the head away from death.

RCMP Cpl. Mark Crowther said his four-person detachment is close to charging the alleged assailant, also a Fort Good Hope resident.

"Charges are coming very soon," said Crowther, who is being transferred to Yellowknife after a two-year stint in the community. "The circumstances are very unique in that you have a complainant and a victim who remembers nothing."

But the family isn't happy with the way police are handling the case and feel a month without charges in the case is too long.

In an e-mail sent to News/North on May 28, McNeely's brother Wilfred McNeely Jr. said "the victim has identified the assailant but that does not seem to be good enough."

Rose McNeely is upset the man who almost killed her husband is still walking around the community.

"I feel like I am walking into a wall," said McNeely. "I am trying to get this guy charged because I almost lost my husband."

The criticism stings Crowther, who said he's hurt with the family's allegation because his force is doing all it can.

"I am hurt by that, I've lived, danced and drummed with these people and have done more than they could imagine," said Crowther who pointed out McNeely's mother works with him and is "like my mother."

"We've been behind the 8-ball since day one and contrary to popular belief, charges aren't laid 30 seconds after every complaint."

After being contacted by News/North, Crowther met with the family late last Thursday afternoon.

Crowther said crime rates have dropped significantly in his two years with the community.

Since 2000, case loads fell from 900 to 622 last year and break-ins at the school dropped from 32 to zero.

But still, his detachment "lays more charges than anybody in the Sahtu region."

The community seems to be split on the RCMP's performance.

"No, I don't think they do a good job," said Fort Good Hope resident Troy Lennie. "I never see them around."

"Yeah I guess they are doing a good job, I support them," said resident Elvis Kelly. "(But) a lot of people are scared of police."

Crowther said his detachment won't be pressured into pressing charges.

"We wont charge until we have a rock-solid case," said Crowther.