What really happened to Cameron Doomadgee? The monument, a memorial to Cameron Mulrunji Doomadgee, has been moved to his sister Valmai Aplin's front yard on Palm Island, off Townsville. (Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth). However, he found that Hurley punched Mulrunji in the face and abused him while attempting to get him into the station, and found that police colluded to protect Hurley. State Coroner Michael Barnes stands down from the inquiry after claims of bias. "We sometimes involve members of the community in the selection processes, but we certainly involve the community when a new officer arrives.". Chris Hurley points out lack of alcohol diversionary program on Palm Island meaning that the only option for drunk and disorderly Palm Islanders is to take them to the watchhouse. When they learnt of his death, Palm Islanders rioted, and burnt the police station down. Australia: Police Response to Aboriginal Death in Custody and Ensuing Riot Ruled Discriminatory. The Attorney-General of Queensland, Kerry Shine, indicted an Australian police officer for a criminal trial for the first time since the public prosecutor's office was established. At the age of 63 they set off for one more trip to Mount Sinai. I am comfortably satisfied QPS officers would not have taken a similar approach, in any of the respects I have outlined above, if a tragedy such as this had occurred in an isolated non-Aboriginal community in Queensland. U.S. Reports: Shuttlesworth v. Birmingham, 394 U.S. 147 (1969). Queensland's then premier Peter Beattie declared a state of emergency and dozens of riot squad members were flown in to control the crowd. Another notable condition of bail was that they were not to attend rallies or marches over the death in custody. It has even been earmarked by the State Government for development into a tourism mecca. The Tall Man - Blackfella Films [25], On 1 December 2004 three more rioters were arrested, all women: a 65-year-old grandmother, her daughter, and the daughter of a Palm Island Councillor. ), The president of the Queensland Police Union disagreed with the ruling, saying that the police response was appropriate in the circumstances and [p]olice who serve in Indigenous communities are not racist, and purely because of someones Aboriginality do not treat anyone differently . Mr Wotton was later convicted of inciting a riot and served 19 months in jail before being released on parole, which he only completed earlier this year. The strong police presence was not welcome on the island. [8], The arresting officer, Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, and the Indigenous police liaison officer, Lloyd Bengaroo, were flown off the island the following Monday, after receiving death threats and Hurley's house being burned down. This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 19:37. [57], After the alleged rioters were granted bail Queensland Police Union President Denis Fitzpatrick criticized the magistrate's decision to grant bail saying that the safety of the community had been put last and that the decision amounted to a "betrayal" of the police. "It was an extraordinarily difficult circumstance," Mr Beattie told the ABC. Fellow Palm Islander Patrick Bramwell was placed in the adjoining cell. Hours later he was dead from massive internal injuries including broken ribs and a ruptured spleen, and his liver was so badly damaged it was almost cleaved in two across his spine. I think the current police leadership here at the moment with the current officer in charge is pretty OK, because he's more about community engaging," he said. It explores what happened when Cameron Doomadgee, a 36-yr old Indigenous man was found dead in a Palm Island police station, with injuries that didn't reasonably fit with tripping into the station's step, as the Police had claimed. [43], In June 2007 the Townsville-based trial of Chris Hurley on charges of assault and manslaughter took place. ), Mulrunjis autopsy showed that he died of major internal injuries. His grandmother complained to Hurley, who then arrested him. "There'll always be distrust, regardless of what police authority is in town. Australia: Police Response to Aboriginal Death in Custody and Ensuing Cameron Doomadgee was an obscure man living an obscure life, but his demise had a gravity that sucked in countless strands of modern and historical Australia. [15] They converted the Bwgcolman Community School into a headquarters and sleeping barracks, and the St Michael's school bus was commandeered. Palm Island verdict: 12 years in the making | SBS News The officer could not find a pulse. [91] Liddy Clark and the two ministerial staff denied deliberately misleading the public. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. The death in custody led to three coronial inquests, a review by the Crime and Misconduct Commission in Queensland, two reviews by the QPS, criminal proceedings against Senior Sergeant Hurley in which he was acquitted of manslaughter, and litigation by police officers about potential disciplinary action against them. (Summary, supra. In response to the findings, riots break out on the island. Forty minutes later, Cameron was found dead in his cell. After a long battle Agnes' discovery is finally published, but this does not put an end to the twins' travels. Buchanan, Kelly. "There will always be tension because there's not enough communication between police and community. I am the same", and that they would both respond with fists when confronted or challenged, portraying a cop who some years ago had confronted and overcome his own inherent racism while working in the Torres Strait. (Jan. 2, 2020) On December 18, 2019, the New Zealand Parliament passed historic legislation that pardons Rua Knana, a pacifist religious prophet from theTuhoe iwi (tribe) who was convicted inAugust 1916 of (July 30, 2015) On July 23, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the appeal of a Pakistani Canadian pilot in a discrimination case filed against Bombardier, an aerospace company. Yanner and Foster refused to cooperate with the investigation. The media and the Beattie government ignored Doomadgee's death when it happened on November 19. The officer, Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, who was charged for a death in custody, was acquitted by the jury in June 2007. The racial aspects of the story are alarming, so too is the idea that police can act with impunity. Main points from media reports after interviews with residents and relatives stated: Hurley is a white Australian who was also aged 36 at the time of the incident. "I don't want my grand children to forget him," she said. Hurley v. Mulrunji who had walked away, turned and allegedly swore at the police officers. She also accused the police of failing to investigate his death fully. Hurley drove her to the house in the police vehicle. Hurley medically retired from the Gold Coast station of the Queensland Police in 2017[2] following a string of charges while serving as a police officer including assault and dangerous driving. Cameron Doomadgee (who was also known by his tribal name of Mulrunji) was a resident of Palm Island. [29], Mulrunji's Family had suspicions about the results of the first autopsy by the Queensland government pathologist. Australia: Police Response to Aboriginal Death in Custody and Ensuing Riot Ruled Discriminatory. Officers preferred confrontation to engagement and operated very much with an us and them, Its the first time an entire community has been represented in a class action against a state of Australia alleging racial discrimination and being vindicated in that cause. Palm Island still struggling with death in custody 10 years on The police who had been stationed on the island indicated through the Union that they did not wish to return to Island duties. [50], The Court then addressed the Attorney-General and the appellants' argument that only the Coroner's finding that punching caused the fatal injuries should be set aside as a result of the medical evidence. I want people to have love". One of the sisters needed to be airlifted to Townsville Hospital due to her condition as a result of Bramwell's assault. [66] More specifically the ad stated: "Zimbabwe is a good example of what could happen where politicians override the laws to suit themselves. Criminal Misconduct Commission announces that no disciplinary charges will be laid against Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley over Mulrunji's death. [11] The family of the deceased were informed by the Coroner that the death was the result of "an intra-abdominal haemorrhage caused by a ruptured liver and portal vein".[11]. [58], Sen. Sgt. PDF Office of The State Coroner Finding of Inquest [11] Mr Stewart said several measures had been put in place to repair the damaged relationships. Mr Beattie admitted the events surrounding the death in custody severely damaged relationships.
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