Pubdate: Wed, 25 May 2005
Source: South Peace News, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 South Peace News
Contact:  http://www.southpeacenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2261
Author: Tina Kennedy
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

VIGILANTE JUSTICE NOT APPROPRIATE

24-year-old Aaron Willier is tired of seeing drugs in his community and 
made a bad judgment when it came to finding a way to deal with it.

Willier and his cousin went to a house demanding that its occupants stop 
dealing cocaine and its derivative crack, in their community.

"We went there because they are the known drug dealers . . . We told them 
to get the drugs off the reserve."

Willier says he feels little is being done about the drugs on reserve and 
throughout the area. Police know who they are but can't do anything about 
it. Outraged over what seemed like apathy towards a growing industry, 
Willier decided to confront those he believed were dealing crack and 
cocaine to area residents.

"It's severe, totally," he says of the drug problem. "I know for a fact 
some of my own family is falling into that. I'm worried about the younger 
generations because that's who they're trying to push it on. Everybody 
talks about doing something and when you do, you get in trouble."

Once there, says Willier, they were outnumbered. It was that first visit to 
the house when his arm was broken, by the man he was confronting.

"There was just a whole bunch of punks hanging out there with bats and 
knives . . . After I got my arm broke we jumped in the car and went back to 
my house."

That's when Willier's father, Russell, returned with them.

That second visit was more violent than the first encounter. But, says 
Willier, they did not bring any weapons with them.

His father agrees saying the only mention of a gun came when Aaron followed 
the house resident inside.

"Daniel ran in the house and Aaron followed him because he thought he was 
going to get a gun," says Russell.

It was then, says Russell, that he heard something that drove him inside 
the house.

"I heard that guy say, 'I'm stabbing you Aaron' and I ran in and grabbed 
that knife from that guy and he stabbed me."

Outnumbered and injured, says Russell, they retreated and went back to 
Willier's house. With the basement rented out to someone else, Willier says 
they were stunned when police went in and found a marijuana grow operation.

"I kicked him out . . . but he didn't come back for his stuff," says the 
young man.

Father and son are upset that they're charged with assault and break and 
enter. However, says the younger Willier, he understands what happened.

"We were unjustified-they can't do anything with vigilante justice," he 
says of his conversations with Lesser Slave Lake Regional Police officers.

With a story about the events, he says two things happened-threats from 
known drug dealers and commentary from area residents thinking he, his 
cousin, and father are seen as criminals.

"I was standing up for what I believe in and they make me the bad guy."

Following the attack, Sucker Creek paid to have the residents who were 
attacked, moved from the reserve to a hotel in High Prairie. It's just 
delaying the problem, says Willier.

The drugs and its dealers are in the community. Something needs to happen, 
he adds.

As well, because they vandalized a car belonging to a known drug dealer not 
a resident of that house, that person is now threatening Willier's safety.

It's a messed up situation, says Willier. His only intention, he adds, was 
to let dealers know there was no room for them in the community.

"I know what the hell is going on in this world, and I don't like seeing 
this stuff in my reservation."
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MAP posted-by: Beth