Murrinyi R.I.P.(pron. Moord-din-yee)

My name is Cameron Francis Doomadgee.
I am Aboriginal, the Indigenous people of Australia.
I am a proud Waanyi/Gangalidda Tribe Member.
I am a resident of Palm Island, 65km off the Queensland Coast, North of Townsville.
My wife is Tracey Twaddle and I have a son, Eric.
I am proud of my cultural heritage and the ways of the Waanyi. I feel a direct spiritual link to the sea and the land. I am a keen and competent fisherman and I love taking my son Eric and our many friends and relatives fishing to teach them the traditional ways of our people.
I work for the Palm Island Aboriginal Council (PIAC) and am a hard working member of the Palm Island Council Development and Employment Project work force.
Unlike most of my fellow Island residents, up until November 19th, 2004, I had NEVER been in trouble with the law and I have NO criminal record.
I am very proud of this achievement.
At 10.25am on the morning of November 19th, 2004, I was walking home with 2 friends after arranging the use of a boat for an upcoming fishing trip. I had also had the good fortune, that morning, to have speared myself some mudcrabs in the mangroves, which I was handing out to my fellow Islanders as I wondered home.
I noticed Sgt Chris Hurley was in the process of arresting my fellow Island resident Patrick Bramwell for drunkenness. Sgt Chris Hurley & Police Liason Officer, Lloyd Bangaroo then approached me in their Police vehicle.
In my cheeky way, I began singing, “Who let the dogs out?”
Consequently, I was arrested by Sgt Hurley for public drunkenness and put in the back of the police vehicle for being a “public nuisance”.
Under “The Police Powers & Responsibility Act” it is a legal requirement for me to be taken to the local Murri “Safe House”. This standard procedure on Palm Island allows detainees, such as myself, to be looked after at the “Safe House” by trained and culturally aware Murri Elders and Liason Officers, while waiting to be processed.
Instead, I was taken to the Palm Island Police Station.
Upon arrival at the Police Sation I was removed from the back of the Police vehicle.
I was still upset at being arrested and a "scuffle" ensued between us.
There are no surveillance cameras in this area of the Station.
Hurley manhandled me alongside the vehicle struggling to push me ahead of him towards the doorway into the station.
From here the facts remain permanently clouded in mystery.
Somehow we tripped up the one step into the Station.
There was a "fall"
In his initial interview with Townsville CIB Det Snr Sgt Raymond Kitching and Det Sgt Darren Robinson of Palm Island CIB, Hurley stated,
“I fell to the left of him and he was on the right of me.”
Later, Sgt Hurley would state, “maybe I fell on top of him”.
Witness, Patrick Bramwell would give evidence that he watched from his cell as Sgt Hurley knelt on me punching me on both sides of my body – he could hear my cries for help.
Next I was taken to a cell in the lockup and left alone without any medical assistance.
My injuries from the “fall” included 4 broken ribs, a ruptured portal vein, my liver was completely torn in half and I had damage to my spleen.
I was bleeding heavily internally.
Disturbing video images show me writhing in pain on the floor of my cell as I lay dying.
Sgt Leafe first discovered my body to be unusually cold and though Sgt Hurley indicated he thought he may have felt a faint pulse – no attempt was made to resuscitate me. Sgt Hurley later explained he only knew the theory of first aid, not the practical side.
At 11.20am, an hour after my initial arrest, I WAS DEAD.
Alone, in my empty cell, I had succumbed to my fatal injuries.
I was yet another DEATH IN CUSTODY.
The first autopsy report was issued Friday 26th November and was read @ a Community meeting on the Island.
It indicated that my death was a “tragic freak accident” as a result of a “complicated fall”. These findings devastated my family and community.
Upon hearing these findings, the Elders of the Palm Island Community called for a meeting to plan “traditional payback”. Approximately 300 residents then marched to the Court House and Police Station ordering all staff out of the buildings.
Once ALL Police and staff had safely exited, 19 men initiated the “traditional payback” by setting fire to the shameful buildings.
The action was extreme, but no one was physically injured.
As Aboriginal Activist Adrian McAvoy stated at a public rally,
“..it was payback, tribal law, planned and controlled payback….not a riot.”
Later that day, Qld Premier, Peter Beattie, declared a State of Emergency on Palm Island, ordering “all whites and good blacks” to be evacuated.
Qld Police Minister, Judy Spence, then ordered the Tactical Response Group (TRG) be despatched immediately to the Island.
No less than 80 TRG members then arrived under the cover of darkness on the island’s airport in full combat gear – helmets, balaclavas, bullet proof vests and carrying semi automatic machine guns.
They took over the local school to use as a command post. They roamed the streets arresting unarmed and unresisting fellow members of my Palm Island community. They even used Tasers on at least 3 people.
The 19 men identified as “Central Figures” in the “traditional payback” were quickly identified and surrendered themselves to the Police.
The TRG then conducted Police raids on the remaining Murri residents. These were carried out at 4am while families slept in their beds.
They broke down doors, forcing occupants outside to lie face down on the ground.
Terrified, women, young children, the elderly and even the disabled were dragged from their beds with guns pointed at them and red laser lights pointed at their heads. They were all cuffed, both hands and feet.
Seven year old “Douglas” described, “…a red dot was on the floor beside my head, then on my nose, the bully men shouting…like the movies…thought I was having bad dreams… my heart was pounding…”
The Crime & Misconduct Commission (CMC) Inquiry has since declared that the raids by the TRG “may have been unlawful” because The Public Safety Prevention Act does not authorise Police to unlawfully enter people’s homes and use excessive force that the did, including illegally handcuffing people.
Outraged and disappointed @ the 1st findings, my family and Community requested a 2nd autopsy be carried out by an Independent Pathologist. This was carried out on November 30.
The subsequent Coroner’s Report stated 3 likely scenarios that could have contributed to my death.
1. My injuries were entirely consistent with a severe beating.
2. a catastrophic accident.
3. a very heavy fall.
On November 20, Sister Christina McGlynn, a pastoral carer at Palm Island hospital told reporters from The Australian,
“it is a tragedy this gentle man died in custody. But to say that 4 broken ribs and a ruptured liver is a consequence of a fall is something I, as a trained nurse, find hard to accept.”
On December 10th, 2004, 2000 people, black and white, marched together through Townsville in peaceful protest of my death.
The alleged “ringleader” of the alleged ”riot”, and my best friend, Lex Wotton, was banned from taking part in the protest as part of his strict bail conditions.
The marchers instead came to him, where he waited patiently on the steps of Townsville Police Headquarters. My sister, Elizabeth Doomadgee, embraced him and declared him a “warrior” as the crowd hailed the powerful folk hero.
The next day, 11th December, 2004, my son Eric led the 3000 strong Palm Island community procession on a Funeral March as my body was laid to rest.
My cousin, Aboriginal Activist Murrandoo Yanner, helped dress my body for the funeral. He said it was hard to recognise me,
“…a chunk of flesh was missing under his chin and chunks of hair and bone from off his skull…”
Hundreds of mourners converged on the local church to bid farewell to me.
My Mother, Doris, was too sick to make it to the funeral and instead penned a letter which was read at the service. She was heartbroken over my death.
Sadly, one week after my funeral, my Mother succumbed to her illness and died.
More than 100 cars followed my son Eric’s silent march along the 2km waterfront stretch to the Palm Island Cemetery.
Crowded with floral tributes and draped proudly in my Aboriginal flag, my body was finally laid to rest. My sisters & family members threw flowers and petals from the jetty to commemorate my spirit.
Unfortunately, conditions of bail for the 19 “Ringleaders” prevented them from being allowed to return to Palm Island to attend my funeral.
As Murrandoo explained
“…in our (Aboriginal) culture it brings great shame and is a lack of respect to miss the funeral…”
In her open letter to Premier Peter Beattie, Palm Island Mayor, Erykah Kyle described me as,
“…reliable & jovial, although generally of a quietly spoken and calm disposition. This fine young man was a hunter for the community. He was a fine example for our young people and admired for his character by our Elders.”
Aborigines dying in custody is nothing new to our Murri Brethren.
Since 1991, when National Commissioner Elliot Johnston handed down the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, some 400 Aborigines have died in custody. Sadly, out of 329 recommendations made in the report, only 39 have been implemented.
In 1990 Aboriginal people comprised over 20% of the prison population, though they are only 2.5% of the total population in Qld. In 2003, the rate of imprisonment had risen to 24%.
Throughout Sgt Hurley’s career, up to 6 complaints of assault and misconduct have been lodged by Aboriginal people to the CJC over accusations of Hurley using
“… excessive force causing injury… he had also shown disrespect to Indigenous Police Liason Officers and residents…”
However, Hurley has never faced any disciplinary action over any of these complaints.
Since my death, Snr Sgt Chris Hurley has received a promotion and assigned a posting on the Gold Coast and is undergoing Government funded trauma counselling.
Snr Sgt Chris Hurley stands at 201cm tall weighing 115kg.
I, on the other hand, am a little over 179cm tall and weigh 74kg. I am a much smaller man than he.
In September, 2006 the Coronial finding of the Inquest into my death was released.
Acting State Coroner, Christine Clements accused the Senior Police Officer of fatally bashing me. She also found the initial Police investigation was outside the Coroner’s guidelines.
She made 40 recommendations on how legislation, police practice, training and infrastructure should be changed to conform with the 1991 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
Clements was adamant in her findings that I was fatally injured by a series of blows from Hurley and then dragged into my cell to die.
She also found the evidence of Aboriginal witness, Roy Bramwell was more credible than Hurley who she believed had been untruthful in a number of respects.
My family and my people felt vilified, finally.
Tragically, my son Eric, then aged 18, committed suicide in July 2006, just days before this second inquest commenced in August.
Vincent Thimble, an ambulance officer on Palm Island from 1989 to 1999 told the “Herald” that during that period he attended 40 suicides.
With unemployment figures on the Island as high as 90%, there is a tragic welfare mentality that envelopes my people in hopelessness and despair.
On December 14th, 2006, Qld Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Leanne Clare SC announced Snr Sgt Hurley would NOT face any criminal charges over my death.
Mrs Clare said the evidence was not capable of proving Hurley was criminally responsible.
“…evidence suggests Mr Doomadgee’s death was a terrible accident…”
Later that day, in a Media Release to the public, the CMC announced the following,
“…the Commission has reached the conclusion that no disciplinary action before the Misconduct Tribunal or the Qld Police Service (QPS) can be taken against the police officer in relation to the cause of death or in relation to the charges of assault…”
The next day, the Palm Island Council announced it would pursue civil action against Snr Sgt Hurley.
Later that month, over 1500 white and black people joined together again in a peaceful march for Justice through the streets of Townsville CBD.
On 4th January, 2007, former NSW Chief Justice Sir Laurence Street was appointed to review the DPP’s decision.
Sir Laurence personally visited Palm Island on 16th January. He toured the Island and met with Elders, my family and local children.
Unfortunately his visit was tainted by the discovery of Patrick Bramwell’s body earlier that morning.
He too had committed suicide.
My good friend Patrick was with me on the night of my death. He was a key witness at the inquiry into my death and my community is grief stricken at this 3rd death resulting from that fateful night.
First me, then my son, and now Patrick.
ALL DEAD.
On 26th January, 2007, Attorney General Kerry Shine announced Sir Laurence’s findings.
Snr Sgt Hurley most certainly did have a case to answer, it was found, and that there was enough evidence to charge him with Manslaughter.
Snr Sgt Hurley was immediately suspended from duties to face criminal charges. Sir Laurance also said he believed there was a “reasonable” prospect of a successful conviction.
Finally, my family and community can see Justice for my tragic death.
The Crown Solicitors have now been instructed to take the necessary steps to initiate prosecution against Snr Sgt Hurley as soon as possible.
PLEASE DO NOT LET ME DIE IN VAIN.
PLEASE LET JUSTICE PREVAIL.
HELP ME RIGHT THE WRONGS DONE TO MY FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS OVER THE YEARS.
SPREAD THE WORD.
NO DEATHS IN CUSTODY 2007!
This My Space is the only endorsed site by the Doomadgee family directly and has been officially approved, on behalf of the Indigenous Community of Australia, by Murrandoo Yanner.