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Death in custody charges laid

By Suzanne Klotz

5 February 2007 - A GRIM-faced Chris Hurley appeared before the Supreme Court in Brisbane today after being charged over the Palm Island death in custody.

An indictment was presented in Brisbane's Supreme Court today charging Senior Sergeant Hurley with one count each of manslaughter and assault of 36-year-old Mulrunji Doomadgee at Palm Island, in north Queensland, on November 19, 2004.

Snr Sgt Hurley was the senior officer on Palm Island, and arrested Doomadgee and placed him in custody.
He appeared before Townsville Supreme Court Justice Kerry Cullinane, sitting in Brisbane, and was not required to enter a plea.

Justice Cullinane granted Snr Sgt Hurley bail on his own undertaking and remanded him to reappear in the Townsville Supreme Court for mention on March 16.

Prosecutor Peter Davis estimated the trial would take up to two weeks, and as yet no date has been set for the trial.

The next criminal sittings of the Townsville Supreme Court begin on April 9.

However, Mr Davis said he expected there to be some legal argument before any trial could take place.
Justice Cullinane queried whether either side would take issue with him sitting on the case, on the basis of any perceived conflict of interest on his part.

Justice Cullinane said he had been the Supreme Court judge in Townsville for many years, and had a lot of police from Palm Island involved in trials he had presided over.

However, he could not remember Snr Sgt Hurley being involved in any of them.

After the brief appearance, Snr Sgt Hurley sat in one of the court's stairwells while he waited for his bail to be processed.

He then left the court building accompanied by his solicitor and refused to speak to waiting media.

Source: The Australian

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