Native American Blind Man Mutilated By Staff At Rapid City Hospital

[Galraedia]

As a country we have been mesmerized, sickened and disgusted by the shooting of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. All eyes have been on this hate crime and emotions on both sides of the issue have run high.

But there are other stories out there, not so well publicized by the mainstream media. The most recent to come to light is the shocking mutilation of a 68-year-old blind man. His crime, it seems, is being a Native American living in South Dakota.

Vernon Traversie, a Lakota elder, suffered a heart attack last August and was taken to Rapid City Regional Hospital for emergency surgery. Upon his return home after a two-week stay, he found that three Ks had been carved or burned into his abdomen.

In a statement to Last Real Indians, Traversie said: “I was supposed to have emergency surgery on my heart, but they (the hospital) had scheduling problems. Every night they would prep me for surgery, which went on for four or five days. Every night they would shave my chest and stomach and wouldn’t feed me.”

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/04/28/native-american-blind-man-mutilated-by-staff-at-rapid-city-hospital/

[AtomicKitten]

1. I hope the Justice Dept takes a look at this case.

Hate crimes are soul-crushing and against the law.

[AsahinaKimi]

2. what a horror story..

This country only seem to get worse, with the growing population of HATERS.

[LASlibinSC]

3. OMG

No charges brought? I confess I know very little about NA and federal laws, but there must be some recourse, justice. My God this is despicable! Arggg!

[malaise]

4. This happened in a hospital

Good fugging grief?

[ZombieHorde]

5. The photo looks really bad. So messed up. nt

[madrchsod]

6. two surgical nurse stated that they could be tape burns

i have to agree with them. after going through several heart procedures i had a needle holes up and down my arms. tape will "burn" my arm after one day. his procedure and the taping could have caused those burns. i`m not buying that someone burned him.

[cynatnite]

8. I've seen tape take the skin right off...

I don't think this was a racist attack, but it is possible that there was some negligence.

[Dont call me Shirley]

7. I am so sorry someone evil did this to you Vernon.

You will be accepted as the beautiful being you are into heaven.

Your abuser will not.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. shocking story. I hope he gets justice

[Meiko]

10. Pretty thin evidence

After major surgery you are all kinds of messed up. I'm sorry the man had a hard time but I just don't see it.

[Skittles]

11. the story sounds seriously ridiculous

it just does

[TwilightGardener]

12. Agree with one of the commenters: chest tube and pacer-wire incisions.

Not sure why his abdomen is otherwise such a mess of scabs/dead skin, but it doesn't look like an intentional act meant to convey something.

[nolabear]

13. Serious question: Does the press not use "allegedly" any more?

That headline assumes the hospital's guilt. If I thought for a minute there was any real evidence to support his claim I'd listen but that just doesn't look like what he's claiming. It's a mess, but "KKK"?

[REP]

14. I don't see "k"s. I see tape burn, drain incisions, places where tubing has been taped down

In other words, I see the same kind of poor treatment management that I've put up with - infuriating, but no signs of deliberate mutilation.