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Legal group raises more questions over prison van death

27 February 2008 - An Indigenous advocacy group says a review into prisoner transfers in Western Australia does not settle the case of an Aboriginal man who died after a trip in a prison van.

Last month, Warburton elder Ian Ward, 46, collapsed in the back of a van being driven from Laverton to Kalgoorlie, in WA's south-east, and died hours later.

New rules will now be introduced for prisoner transfers, including checks of inmate's health before journeys and compulsory breaks in trips of more than two hours.

However, Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive Dennis Eggington says the matter will not be closed until a coroner's report determines what killed Mr Ward.

"Our Attorney-General needs to have a very serious look at the role not only of the police in this matter, but the justice of the peace and the prisoner transfer people as well," he said.

"So it certainly doesn't put the matter to bed, it actually raises more questions about the way that people are treated in this state.

"I think that people will be quite outraged and horrified by what's happened."

Source: ABC

Further information: respected Aboriginal elder Mr Ian Ward - death in custody