Qld: Islanders want police officer sung to death

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2006
Qld: Islanders want police officer sung to death

Aboriginal people on Palm Island are calling for the police officer .. implicated in
the death in the custody of MULRUNJI DOOMADGEE .. to be "sung" to death.

The Aboriginal custom is where powerful tribal medicine men are believed to call on
spirits in secret rituals to curse individuals guilty of a crime.

Palm Island spokesman BRAD FOSTER has told The Australian .. many indigenous people
are furious at the decision not to prosecute Senior Sergeant CHRIS HURLEY over the 2004
death.

He says while he's been approached about meting out Aboriginal justice .. the decision
whether to go ahead with the ritual is up to the family.







Mr DOOMADGEE died in a police cell on the island .. after his arrest for public drunkenness
in November 2004.

In September Deputy Coroner CHRISTINE CLEMENTS found Mr DOOMADGEE's fatal injuries
had been caused by Senior Sergeant HURLEY.

But last week Director of Public Prosecutions LEANNE CLARE found there was insufficient
evidence to charge the officier with any criminal offences.

She instead found the death was the result of an accident.

AAP RTV sk/els/

KEYWORD: MULRUNJI (BRISBANE)

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