Palm Island Police Officer to be Charged With Manslaughter, page 1

Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley will be charged with manslaughter. Despite a report by the Queensland Department of Prosecutions that there was not enough evidence against him to support charges being laid for the death in custody of Palm Island resident Mulrunji Doomadgee. An independant inquiry headed by former NSW chief justice Sir Laurence Street has found sufficient evidence to lay charges.

au.news.yahoo.com
Queensland's Director of Public Prosecutions Leanne Clare last year ruled there was not enough evidence to warrant any charges.

It came after a report by former NSW chief justice Sir Laurence Street found there was enough evidence to charge the officer with manslaughter - and to warrant a conviction.

"As a result of today's advice by Sir Laurence Street and the attorney-general's decision to proceed with legal action, Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley will be suspended from further duties until the matter is resolved through the judicial process," he said in a statement.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

After beating a man to death in the Palm Island Watch House, I'm sure SS Chris Hurley thought he was going to walk away clean. Finally, it looks as though justice may be served. Racism is alive and well here in Australia and it is best reflected it the attitudes of our police to our indigenous inhabitants.

With charges about to be laid, Queensland police are threatening to strike en masse if the prosecution goes ahead.

So much for the application of the law being across the board.

This decision calls the effectiveness of Queensland's DPP into question.

Related News Links:
www.theaustralian.news.com.au
www.theage.com.au

[edit on 26/1/2007 by Beelzebubba]