Father calling for justice in the death of his son
By Al Beeber on October 30, 2021.
Herald photo by Al Beeber Emery Grier, alongside his brother, was outside the courthouse Friday calling for justice for his son Linden Blair Grier, who was found dead in a home in Fort Macleod in May.LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
Emery Grier wants justice for his son who was killed on May 24 in Fort Macleod.
The only son and one of three children of 63-year-old Emery, Linden Blair Grier was beaten to death, the elder Grier said Friday in a protest outside the Lethbridge Courthouse.
The man accused of the killing, which left three young children fatherless, is Cullen Drake Tailfeathers, 25, who Emery Grier says has yet to make a court appearance.
Instead he’s been represented by Calgary lawyer Balfour Der, who Grier believed was part of a Zoom meeting Friday involving the case.
On Friday, a trial date for Tailfeathers was set for July 18-22 starting at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom No. 3 in Lethbridge.
Emery Grier, the grandfather of 11, hasn’t seen Linden’s children for months; he says they’re now in Edmonton with their mother.
Linden, he said Friday, was granted full custody of his kids but never lived to know it. Emery discovered the news while checking his son’s mail after Linden’s death.
Grier believes his son was lured to a Fort Macleod home by a woman who hasn’t been charged in the case. He said it was completely out of character for his son to go.
Tailfeathers, who was released on bail June 4, pleaded not guilty on Aug. 24 to a charge of manslaughter and break and enter to commit an indictable offence. He elected trial by provincial court judge.
Grier, of Brocket, was found dead in a home after an ambulance was called at 2:24 a.m. on May 24 with attempts to save his life unsuccessful.
On Friday, Grier stood outside the courthouse with his brother holding a green sign reading “Justice for Linden.” Emery also wore a shirt with a photo of his son and two young children emblazoned upon it.
“He just got custody of his kids because he was going through a split-up with his wife,” Grier said.
“He never goes out, it’s really not like him to go out like he did. And it cost him his life. The guy killed him,” alleged Grier, still speaking of his son in the present tense.
Grier said he thinks his son was lured to “the scene” by a woman. The accused killer is about 6’7″ and 300 pounds, said Grier. His son was 145 lbs.
“He lives in Cardston. It takes 45 minutes to drive from Cardston to Fort Macleod so he had 45 minutes to think about what he was going to do. He got there and killed my son,” alleged the distraught father. Media reports earlier this year say Tailfeathers is a Fort Macleod resident.
“I’m still having a real hard time with it right now,” said Grier who said the two men were not known to each other.
“He’s never appeared; his high-priced lawyer out of Calgary’s been appearing for him. The thing that gets me is the guy isn’t even in custody,” said Grier.
“My son was caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. He never goes out, he was really concerned about his kids. A week after he passed, I got a letter in the mail. He was going for full custody because he was breaking up with his girlfriend or wife or whatever and a week after, he gets this letter in the mail and I open it up and he got full custody of his kids.
“I’m still having a hard time with it. And right now we’re here he’s supposed to be court today but again he’s not showing up. I guess the lawyers and judge and defence, whatever, are meeting on a Zoom call. It’s unreal. Our judicial system is bullshit. I’m getting fed up with it,” said Grier who lives on Piikani Nation.
Halloween is particularly hard because Linden was a big fan of the celebration, Grier said.
“I’ve been coming to every court day this guy is supposed to have and he’s not showing up. He’s not coming to court,” he said.
“I have bad days, good days. Yesterday I had a bad day, an emotional day thinking about my son.”
Linden’s children included a nine-year-old girl, a six-year-old boy and a three-year-old.
“They’re just young and they already lost their dad and they’ll never see him again.”
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This is very sad that someone that was dedicated enough to take charge of his life and bring up his children was killed. The fact that he was granted custody of the children, being a male says to me that the mother had some serious issues, yet she still has custody.
There has been so much tension regarding the courts involvement in removing children from their parents recently, I would expect the system is bring very careful to make the right decision.
I wouldn’t expect ‘justice’ for you son’s death, the justice you want, because the courts also have been told to be lenient on First Nations due to the over representation of First Nations in jails. The other issue will be the Gladue Principle I would assume the defense will be leaning towards, that will give leniency to the offender, due to his indigenous heritage.
The system has become very frustrating to all, and now there is no such thing that ‘All shall be treated equal under the law’ which is in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, yet it is no longer respected!