Cocaine addict alleges beating at hands of police officers

She does not deny that her brother is a cocaine addict and a thief, but Greta Chance is hopping mad because she says that the police abused him recently.{{more}}

She claims that, according to her brother, he was picked up in Paul’s Avenue by four police officers on Thursday, May 22nd, driven to Fenton, Green Hill, and beaten with a piece of green water hose.

“If they did that then, even though he is how he is, then they no better. What they did is illegal, he is still human,” said Greta Chance, who works as an Accounts Clerk in the United States.

According to Bernard Chance, 37, he was in Paul’s Avenue with another guy around 3 p.m. on the day mentioned when someone called the other guy.

“Out of respect for the person, he hand me his (crack) pipe and went across to talk,” Chance said.

He told SEARCHLIGHT that a marked police vehicle pulled up and three officers came out, while one remained in the jeep.

“They tell me I like to smoke crack, they going to take me in the mountain and give me some licks,” Chance claims.

He said that once in Fenton, the officers put him to kneel down and took turns beating him.

“After two of them beat me, and another one say is his turn, I just jump up, run and throw me self over the bank,” Chance claims, as he showed SEARCHLIGHT what appeared to be bruises and black and blue marks across his left arm and shoulder.

“It is not right. I mean, I know he not easy, he is not the best person, but that is not the way,” Greta said.

The frustrated young woman told SEARCHLIGHT that her brother became an addict 20 years ago and said that she has been trying for years to help him get out of that way of life.

“I have tried to get him off drugs,” she said, fighting back the tears, “I was willing to send him to St Lucia to get help, but he not willing,” Greta said.

She said that the best her brother looks is when he just comes out of prison, but attempts to get him to stay clean always fails.

He always claims to be able to do it on his own, she said, but he always fails.

“Sometimes it have days I don’t smoke, but then…,” Bernard said, as he still foolhardily tried to convince his sister, SEARCHLIGHT, and himself that he was capable of quitting his addiction on his own. But she loves him still, and is willing to pursue what she believes is justice for him, despite his faults.

“Police should uphold the law; you don’t take a man in the mountain and beat him, no!”

Up to press time, no report had been made to the police, a representative of the Police Public relations department told Searchlight.