Vern Traversie and President Rodney Bordeaux of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe are calling for a criminal investigation into Mr. Traversie’s allegations that he suffered unexplained scarring and other violations of his patient’s and civil rights during a hospital stay. Mr. Traversie, a 69-year-old legally blind elder of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, was admitted for open-heart surgery from August 28 to September 10, 2011, and his pleas for help via YouTube led to a series of stories on ICTMN.com that described his travails and ensuing struggle for justice. His plight has won broad support nationally and today, many are marching in Rapid City, S.D., to raise awareness of his situation.

Today, he released to the following statement to the news media.