by ray jackson
another police death in custody incident has happened at bulli, nsw on 9 november 2012. details are still sketchy but it is reported that police were driving up gwyther avenue at bulli when the police stated they 'had cause' to go to the house of the victim whereby a struggle ensued as the officers attempted to arrest a man. reasons for the arrest have not been stated.
however it was reported by neighbours that voices were raised and then there was silence. police say that the 34 year old man just stopped breathing after he was hand-cuffed. the officers began the resuscitation procedures and 4 ambulances attended the scene.
the man was pronounced dead on arrival at the wollongong hospital. the incident is being investigated by other police.
again, for a publically unknown reason, the police public order and riot squad commenced a sweep through the street. officers formed a line to hunt for any clues, searching under cars, in bushes and along driveways.
detectives are also at the scene.
we will keep our eye on this incident.
the attached letter is addressed to the nt attorney-general, john elferink, with copies to terry mills as the police minister and also to the nt coroner, greg cavanagh. a copy has been sent to the briscoe family.
during the inquest the coroner was most vigorous in his condemnation of the actions and the lack of actions by the police involved in the death of mr. briscoe. when it came to his decision and recommendations however no police officer was portrayed as requiring any remedial attention by him or the police commissioner.
this is not the way that death in custody incidents will be stopped. australian police are not expected to be treated any differently to any member of the public but, as we know, state and territory governments continue to protect their police forces at all costs. over the past 32 years there has been over 200 death in custody incidents involving the australian police yet during that time only one queensland coroner, ms. christine clements, has had the legal capacity and propensity to see through the police lies and blatant cover-ups and find that a police officer had a legal case to answer and that he had to argue his case in a court of law. that, of course, was then senior sergeant chris hurley and his full involvement into the death of mulrunji doomadgee in november 2004 on palm island.
the nt has its own criminal code and it makes very interesting reading. the sections of that code apply to all in the nt when it comes to matters of manslaughter of another human being and both daniel and i can see no exemption clauses for the nt police force. they are as liable as any other citizen to be brought to account, both for their actions as well as their inactions. whether the nt police, the nt government or the legal system that they operate believes that police manslaughter due to brutality, racism and the complete lack of duty of care to those in their care is not a bona fide offence then we may as well live in a jungle.
the nt police at alice springs police station on the night that mr. briscoe was so callously and criminally allowed to die without their intervention is soundly covered by the nt criminal code and charges must be laid against those police officers by both the nt attorney-general, john elferink, and the nt police minister, terry mills.
real justice demands nothing less.
we await the outcome of our letter with great interest.
fkj
ray jackson
president
indigenous social justice association
isja01@internode.on.net
(m) 0450 651 063
(p) 02 9318 0947
address 1303/200 pitt street waterloo 2017
we live and work on the stolen lands of the gadigal people.
sovereignty treaty social justice