Yellowknife (Aug 18/06) - The family of a man who was medevaced to Edmonton for brain surgery while in police custody is searching for answers.

Raymond Eagle, 45, underwent surgery two weeks ago to remove a massive blood clot in his brain that caused a stroke.

Tom Eagle, father of Raymond Eagle, the man who was medevaced to Edmonton Aug. 3 to undergo brain surgery, wants to know why he was never contacted. He returned to Yellowknife Thursday afternoon, but plans to be back at his son's bedside at the University of Alberta hospital as soon as possible. - Terry Kruger/NNSL photo

A shunt was also placed in his head to drain excess liquids putting pressure on his brain.

He is now listed in critical but stable condition and has been in a deep coma since surgery was completed.

The man's father, Tom Eagle, said he is seeking legal counsel although he wouldn't say whether he was concerned about the way his son's case was handled by RCMP or Stanton Territorial Hospital where he was taken twice before being medevaced to Edmonton. Police say Raymond was passed out when they found him in a Frame Lake South neighbourhood around 1:30 a.m., Aug. 3. He also had a visible head injury.

He was taken to Stanton in an ambulance and then transported back to the Yellowknife RCMP headquarters to "sober up."

Later in the morning, Raymond began vomiting in his cell. RCMP decided to take him to the hospital a second time. He was subsequently medevaced to the University of Alberta hospital around 8 p.m. that evening about 18 hours after he was first picked up and taken to hospital.

Eagle wouldn't go in detail about what he thought happened to Raymond, but thought he may have been treated with ambivalence because he was homeless.

"I do not believe it was about race. It was just the way Raymond and many others like him live," he said after returning to Yellowknife from his son's bedside.

"I would like to find some answers because it has affected my family's lives, my wife's, and myself. We have been emotionally and physically hurt.

Doctors say he may never recover but Eagle believes that isn't true.

"I have great hope he will be able to open his eyes. I believe he will, but it will be a long time," he said.

He met with doctors to get a status report on his son Wednesday morning.

"The doctors, as we speak, cannot determine the cause of his injuries," said Tom.

RCMP Sgt. Darcy Fleury could not give Yellowknifer an exact timeline of events, but did say Raymond's return to Stanton was approximately "after lunchtime," on Aug. 3.

Const. Colleen Werrell said the timeline is part of the RCMP's investigation into the events of that day.

Eagle said he was never contacted by the RCMP or Stanton about his son.

He said his wife, Muriel, received a call at 10 p.m. Aug. 3 from a doctor in Edmonton, telling her to fly down as quickly as possible because, "Raymond might not make it through the night."

The family arrived in Edmonton the next day.

Eagle said initially his son appeared to be doing well, and by the eighth day was taken off the ventilator.

But things aren't looking so good now as all signs of improvement, including fluttering eyes and limb movement have stopped.

Eagle said he and his family are praying for Raymond to recover.

Raymond may be moved to Yellowknife in the upcoming weeks if his condition doesn't worsen.