Mission & Justice

Michael McKenna & Tony Koch; 6/5/10

The Crime and Misconduct Commission has recommended two senior officers, picked by Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson to review the discredited investigation into the 2004 death in custody of Palm Islander Mulrunji Doomadgee, face disciplinary charges for an alleged whitewash. A draft CMC report has accused the Ethical Standards Command officers of running a biased investigation to protect other police. It is alleged that witnesses were guided in their answers in interviews, with some provided in advance with copies of the questions they were to be asked. A further allegation is that some key witnesses were not even interviewed by the officers, privately described by Mr Atkinson as among his “most respected”. Last night, a Queensland Police spokesman would not comment on whether the Ethical Standards Command report would be released, although the CMC has committed to putting it out within weeks.

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Tony Koch; 11/3/10

A key police witness to the alleged watchhouse bashing of Palm Islander Mulrunji Doomadgee admitted yesterday his representation by the same lawyer who acted for a colleague later charged over the death could be seen as “bias”. Constable Kristopher Steadman told the reconvened inquest into Doomadgee’s 2004 death that solicitor Glen Cranny, a partner in the Brisbane firm Gilshennan and Luton, was present when he gave his first version of the incident to Crime and Misconduct Commission investigators. The inquest was told Mr Cranny had also been engaged by the Queensland Police Union to act for Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, who arrested and scuffled with Doomadgee at the local lockup. Andrew Boe, for the Doomadgee family, yesterday asked Constable Steadman if it seemed “inappropriate” for lawyers acting for “the subject of inquiry to also be acting for you”. Constable Steadman replied: “Yes, when you look at the intricacies and evidence and what has happened over the five years – yes, there could have been some sort of bias.”

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Tony Koch; 10/3/10

Two witnesses familiar with the Palm Island police lock-up, where Mulrunji Doomadgee died, yesterday supported evidence that the scene of his alleged assault had been visible through a mirror. Appearing at a new inquest into the death in custody of Doomadgee, the witnesses backed testimony by local man Roy Bramwell of the existence of the mirror, which he said had allowed him to see police Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley punch and knee the Palm Islander. Mr Bramwell, who was in the watch-house when Doomadgee was brought in on November 19, 2004, gave several interviews immediately after his death but did not mention the mirror until he was questioned by Queensland’s Crime and Misconduct Commission nearly two years later.

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Tony Koch; 8/3/10; (2 Items)

Today on Palm Island coroner Brian Hine begins hearing evidence in an attempt to resolve one of the most controversial black deaths in custody – that of Mulrunji Doomadgee. On November 19, 2004, Doomadgee, a fit, slim 36-year old, was walking on a back street swinging a bucket with a live mud crab in it and singing Who Let the Dogs Out when he encountered Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley and Aboriginal police liaison officer Lloyd Bengaroo arresting a man. Doomadgee commented, using profanities, to Mr Bengaroo that he should be ashamed of being involved in the arrest of a fellow Aborigine. Sergeant Hurley arrested Doomadgee, put him in the back of a paddy wagon and drove him the short distance to the watch-house. Evidence was given that when being taken from the police vehicle, Doomadgee struck the much taller and heavier policeman in the face. A struggle ensued and he and Sergeant Hurley ended up on the concrete floor.

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