Palm Island Death in Custody Case continued..
February 7th 2007 12:14
The situation in Queensland following the finalisation and subsequent recommendation to charge Snr sergeant Chris Hurley with the manslaughter and assault of Mulrunji Doomadgee in the Palm Island Police station has been a tense political stand-off between the Government and the Police force.
Retired Justice Sir Laurence Street was asked to review the evidence used by the Queensland’s Director of Public Prosecution in deciding that Sergeant Hurley had no case to answer for the death of an Aboriginal man in his custody despite the States Deputy Coroner having found that Hurley had caused the death of the man.
This was an unprecedented action by the government and has led to claims of government interference in the judicial system.
Justice Street found that there was enough evidence to expect that a jury might reasonably find Sergeant Hurley guilty of the manslaughter of the indigenous man.
The State Attorney- General (an elected politician) issued an ex-officio indictment on Hurley which is also a highly unusual move but was forced by the DPP’s office refusing to handle the case after having previously said that they could see no prospect of a guilty verdict and had believed the death was the result of a tragic accident.
The Queensland Police union has come out in strong support of Sergeant Hurley and have been mobilising police around the state with rallies and threats to march on parliament house.
The Police unions basic arguments have been the state government has interfered in the judicial process and the DPP’s decision should have been the end of it. The union has also called for all watch houses to have surveillance throughout them a proposal which the premier had rejected saying that it would cost to much money to do this in remote centres of Queensland.
The Police union has been attacked by much of the media over their demands which has been somewhat surprising though the fact the Police have a dark history of corruption and a preparedness to be used as a political tool by governments both present and pass has probably led to much of the scepticism.
Their new found concern for recommendations of “The Black Deaths in Custody” inquiry has also raised some eyebrows along with a general feeling that the police claim so often that justice had not been done in particular cases that it should allow the trial process to determine an outcome in this case.
Following talks last night the premier has now agreed to surveillance cameras in three of the remotest Indigenous communities and this has painted the Police Union into a corner now that their major concern is being dealt with.
With thousands of their members now stirred up and crying out for “justice’ for the fellow workmate the union may have a hard time convincing their members there is no need to march on parliament.
How the public perceive the Police unions actions will be interesting with there still seeming to be a majority of people supporting the case going to trial.
What happens when it gets to court is anyone’s guess.
Retired Justice Sir Laurence Street was asked to review the evidence used by the Queensland’s Director of Public Prosecution in deciding that Sergeant Hurley had no case to answer for the death of an Aboriginal man in his custody despite the States Deputy Coroner having found that Hurley had caused the death of the man.
This was an unprecedented action by the government and has led to claims of government interference in the judicial system.
Justice Street found that there was enough evidence to expect that a jury might reasonably find Sergeant Hurley guilty of the manslaughter of the indigenous man.
The State Attorney- General (an elected politician) issued an ex-officio indictment on Hurley which is also a highly unusual move but was forced by the DPP’s office refusing to handle the case after having previously said that they could see no prospect of a guilty verdict and had believed the death was the result of a tragic accident.
The Queensland Police union has come out in strong support of Sergeant Hurley and have been mobilising police around the state with rallies and threats to march on parliament house.
The Police unions basic arguments have been the state government has interfered in the judicial process and the DPP’s decision should have been the end of it. The union has also called for all watch houses to have surveillance throughout them a proposal which the premier had rejected saying that it would cost to much money to do this in remote centres of Queensland.
The Police union has been attacked by much of the media over their demands which has been somewhat surprising though the fact the Police have a dark history of corruption and a preparedness to be used as a political tool by governments both present and pass has probably led to much of the scepticism.
Their new found concern for recommendations of “The Black Deaths in Custody” inquiry has also raised some eyebrows along with a general feeling that the police claim so often that justice had not been done in particular cases that it should allow the trial process to determine an outcome in this case.
Following talks last night the premier has now agreed to surveillance cameras in three of the remotest Indigenous communities and this has painted the Police Union into a corner now that their major concern is being dealt with.
With thousands of their members now stirred up and crying out for “justice’ for the fellow workmate the union may have a hard time convincing their members there is no need to march on parliament.
How the public perceive the Police unions actions will be interesting with there still seeming to be a majority of people supporting the case going to trial.
What happens when it gets to court is anyone’s guess.
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Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Yep, you have to love the logic of the police union.
Protesting about justice being done.