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Man leapt to death after police chase

By Geesche Jacobsen

31 August 2004 - A man was chased by police in a crowded shopping centre before he jumped over the railing near an escalator and fell to the floor below, the inquest into his death has heard.

Tyrone Pitsis told Glebe Coroner's court yesterday he was shopping at Westfield Eastgardens on December 23, 2002, when he saw two police officers speaking to the man, Jonathon Brown, 33, on the centre's second floor.

He heard one of the officers say something like: "Go, you're free to go. Keep moving."

As he took the down escalator, Mr Pitsis heard sounds behind him and turned to see Mr Brown running down the escalator with the two officers in pursuit.

When he got to the first floor, Mr Brown pushed aside some bystanders, went to the railing and jumped off, the witness said.

An off-duty police officer, Detective Sergeant Christopher Stanfield, was out shopping when he heard a loud noise followed by screaming. He went to where Mr Brown's body had landed and took control of the situation.

A few minutes later, Sergeant Stanfield said, the two police officers arrived, clearly distressed. They told him they had been chasing the man, whom they referred to as a "maddie". He said he assumed they meant the man appeared to be mentally ill.

Another witness told the court Aboriginal children regularly felt harassed by security guards in the shopping centre, and the court was told the family of Mr Brown, an Aborigine, felt he had been singled out.

While acknowledging such issues were outside the scope of the inquest, the senior deputy state coroner Jacqueline Milledge said she could not remember seeing any Aboriginal children enjoying themselves at Eastgardens.

Westfield had shown no interest in the proceedings, Ms Milledge said. "I am disappointed they are not here."

She said she would inform Westfield of the issues raised.

The inquest continues.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

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