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ABC News
18 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
Kumanjayi White's family continue demands for CCTV footage of Alice Springs death in custody
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the names of Indigenous people who have died, used with the permission of their families. The grandfather of a 24-year-old Aboriginal man who died in police custody in Alice Springs last week has renewed his demands for CCTV vision and an independent probe into the death. Warlpiri man Kumanjayi White died last Tuesday after he was restrained by plain-clothed police officers in a Coles supermarket, after allegedly assaulting a security guard in the store. The death prompted an outpouring of grief and anger from the Warlpiri and wider Alice Springs communities, with hundreds attending a vigil at the supermarket on Friday. In an interview with the ABC on Tuesday, respected Warlpiri elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves said Northern Territory police came to speak to him in Yuendumu, Mr White's home community, in the days after the death. Mr Hargraves said the family was "very, very angry" at the police response. "When we met at the police station with the coroner and with the commissioner [it was] the same story that we hear every day every time, that this has happened and the police did their job," he said. "We are sick of it and we are losing lots of our loved ones … we want to get the police to be accountable because it just keeps going." Mr Hargraves said it was "a disgrace" that NT police were rejecting the family's demands to release CCTV footage and for an independent investigation into the death of his jaja (grandson). "We want this police to give us the CCTV [of the incident] … we want [an] independent investigation so we can get a better understanding of what happened." Mr White died just weeks before the NT coroner was due to hand down her findings in the coronial inquest into the 2019 police shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker, who was also from Yuendumu. The coroner has since delayed the findings at the community's request following this latest death in custody. NT Police Acting Commissioner Martin Dole on Monday defended the police decision to internally investigate Mr White's death in custody, saying that an independent investigation could compromise "further action being taken". Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has since backed the force's decision, saying an internal investigation is "entirely appropriate". "People can have full confidence in the Northern Territory Police Force to do their job … I urge everyone to respect the process," she said. Since the death, Mr White's family has engaged lawyer George Newhouse, who on Friday filed a formal request to the NT Police Force for an independent inquiry into the incident. Mr Newhouse said he had not yet received a response. In the letter, which has been provided to the ABC, the family made several requests including that NT police "appoint an independent body from another state or territory to undertake internal investigations in a culturally safe manner". Mr Newhouse said the NT Ombudsman could also get involved as an "oversight" body for the police investigation, to ensure transparency. "We have in New South Wales an independent body called the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission that oversees inquiries like this, and cases are not destroyed or unable to proceed because of that. "Right now the family is desperate to hear what happened to their loved one … and it is vital that the police reach out to the family … and show them CCTV footage of what happened." Acting Commissioner Dole has said responsibility for criminal investigations sits "solely" with NT police. "This is the same in every state and jurisdiction in Australia and it's no different in the Northern Territory," he told ABC Radio Alice Springs on Monday. "It's not simply a matter that a criminal investigation can be handed to someone independent as there's real risks that action that is taken could prevent further action being taken."
ABC News
20 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
NT chief minister rejects calls for independent investigation into death in custody, criticises senator
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the names of Indigenous people who have died, used with the permission of their families. The Northern Territory chief minister has vehemently ruled out an independent investigation into the death in custody of a young disabled Warlpiri man in an Alice Springs supermarket. Last Tuesday, 24-year-old Yuendumu man Kumanjayi White died after being restrained by plain-clothed police officers in Coles, after he allegedly assaulted a security guard in the store. Advocacy groups including Justice Not Jails, Justice for Walker and Amnesty International have been at the forefront of calls for an external inquiry, alongside Kumanjayi White's grandfather, Warlpiri elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves. Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy is also among those who have said it may be necessary for an inquiry to take place at arm's length from NT police, to ensure impartiality. The NT Police Force last week rejected those calls. Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro on Tuesday said she supported police conducting an internal investigation and criticised Ms McCarthy's suggestion for it to be handed to an outside body. "It is entirely appropriate [that NT police investigate] and this is exactly what happens for all deaths in custody," Ms Finocchiaro told ABC Radio Darwin. "It's consistent nationally as well. "People can have full confidence in the Northern Territory Police Force to do their job, which is investigate matters … this now needs to take its course, and I urge everyone to respect the process." Ms Finocchiaro said she had spoken to Ms McCarthy about her comments about an external investigation, which she described as "entirely unhelpful". "If she wants to support the people of Yuendumu and people concerned about this, then the best thing she can do is use her powerful voice to call for calm and confidence in the NT Police Force." Ms Finocchiaro also said it would not be appropriate for the NT Independent Commissioner Against Corruption or the NT Ombudsman to hold their own separate investigation into the death. "All of this speculation is fuelling a political debate, rather than dealing with the issue at hand," she said. Ms McCarthy's office has been contacted for comment. Speaking to the ABC on Tuesday, Mr Hargraves said Kumanjayi White's family was demanding an independent investigation into the death. "We want this police to give us the CCTV [of the incident] … we want [an] independent investigation so we can get a better understanding of what happened." In a statement earlier this week, Justice Not Jails spokesperson Natalie Hunter said the group had "no faith in the NT police force to carry out an honest and transparent investigation". "The family needs to be empowered to ask the questions they want answered on their own terms, and the police need to step out of the way and let them do that," she said. Thomas Mayo, another Justice Not Jails spokesperson, said an independent investigation was "absolutely vital", particularly given allegations of racism within the NT Police Force that emerged during the coronial investigation into the fatal 2019 police shooting of Kumanjayi Walker in Yuendumu. "A mere glimpse at the record of police investigating themselves when there are allegations of racial violence against them is enough to understand why the family and community are calling for an independent investigation," he said. Ms Finocchiaro has also defended not visiting Alice Springs since Kumanjayi White's death, and said she would not to repeat the previous Labor government's handling of past Aboriginal deaths in custody. "It's a tragic situation but it's one that needs to be moved through carefully," she said. "I'm not going to make the same stupid mistakes that Labor made when they ran in on these types of issues, and created a political situation around something that needs to be done properly." Former NT Labor chief minister Michael Gunner faced accusations of political interference after he visited Yuendumu and told community members "consequences will flow" following the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker by a police officer in 2019.
7NEWS
4 days ago
- 7NEWS
Police reject independent probe into death in custody of Indigenous man with disability at Cole in Alice Springs
Calls for an independent probe into a young man's death in custody have been rejected by police after an emotional vigil. Family and supporters shed tears and demanded justice when they gathered in Alice Springs CBD on Friday to remember the mentally disabled 24-year-old. The vigil was held at the Coles supermarket where the young man from the small desert town of Yuendumu was restrained by two police officers. 'We want justice,' the man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves told the packed gathering. The young man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on a National Disability Insurance Scheme plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. A police investigation has been launched after the man fell unconscious while restrained on Tuesday and died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital. Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy believes an independent death in custody probe may be warranted. She said wounds had been reopened for the people of Yuendumu by the latest incident after 'many traumas'. 'In the interest of having some separation, calls for an independent investigation may be warranted. It may be important to do that, given that there is such tension,' Senator McCarthy told ABC. 'Tragic death' Advocates such as Amnesty International have also backed an independent investigation to 'ensure impartiality and to maintain public confidence in the process'. But NT Police on Friday 'respectfully' rejected the suggestion, saying their investigation would operate under strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. 'The Northern Territory Police Force acknowledges the tragic death of a 24-year-old man in Alice Springs on Tuesday,' Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. 'On behalf of NT police, I extend sincere condolences to his family, friends and community. 'I understand the high level of public interest in this matter. However, I respectfully reject calls for the investigation to be handed to an external body.' The acting commissioner said he had spoken with Senator McCarthy about her suggestion and conveyed his confidence in the 'robust and well-established' system of oversight in place. 'I also expressed my full confidence in our detectives and the independent processes already in place within the NT Police Force,' he said. 'We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course. We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts.' The incident has sparked widespread anger, with hundreds attending Friday's vigil. Family and supporters demanded answers during speeches, asking witnesses to come forward. They then entered the Coles supermarket wearing ceremonial paint and carrying branches. 'Further investigation' Police late on Thursday alleged the 24-year-old man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident and said they were investigating. They also revealed an autopsy had found the man's death was 'undetermined'. The preliminary result would require 'further investigation to provide any substantive cause of death', NT Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said in a statement. The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Rolfe was in 2022 found not guilty of all charges over the death. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the case.
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
Police reject independent probe into death in custody
Calls for an independent probe into a young man's death in custody have been rejected by police after an emotional vigil. Family and supporters shed tears and demanded justice when they gathered in Alice Springs CBD on Friday to remember the mentally disabled 24-year-old. The vigil was held at the Coles supermarket where the young man from the small desert town of Yuendumu was restrained by two police officers. "We want justice," the man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves told the packed gathering. The young man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on a National Disability Insurance Scheme plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. A police investigation has been launched after the man fell unconscious while restrained on Tuesday and died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital. Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy believes an independent death in custody probe may be warranted. She said wounds had been reopened for the people of Yuendumu by the latest incident after "many traumas". "In the interest of having some separation, calls for an independent investigation may be warranted. It may be important to do that, given that there is such tension," Senator McCarthy told ABC. Advocates such as Amnesty International have also backed an independent investigation to "ensure impartiality and to maintain public confidence in the process". But NT Police on Friday "respectfully" rejected the suggestion, saying their investigation would operate under strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "The Northern Territory Police Force acknowledges the tragic death of a 24-year-old man in Alice Springs on Tuesday," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "On behalf of NT police, I extend sincere condolences to his family, friends and community. "I understand the high level of public interest in this matter. However, I respectfully reject calls for the investigation to be handed to an external body." The acting commissioner said he had spoken with Senator McCarthy about her suggestion and conveyed his confidence in the "robust and well-established" system of oversight in place. "I also expressed my full confidence in our detectives and the independent processes already in place within the NT Police Force," he said. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course. We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." The incident has sparked widespread anger, with hundreds attending Friday's vigil. Family and supporters demanded answers during speeches, asking witnesses to come forward. They then entered the Coles supermarket wearing ceremonial paint and carrying branches. Police late on Thursday alleged the 24-year-old man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident and said they were investigating. They also revealed an autopsy had found the man's death was "undetermined". The preliminary result would require "further investigation to provide any substantive cause of death", NT Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said in a statement. The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was in 2022 found not guilty of all charges over the death. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the case. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Calls for an independent probe into a young man's death in custody have been rejected by police after an emotional vigil. Family and supporters shed tears and demanded justice when they gathered in Alice Springs CBD on Friday to remember the mentally disabled 24-year-old. The vigil was held at the Coles supermarket where the young man from the small desert town of Yuendumu was restrained by two police officers. "We want justice," the man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves told the packed gathering. The young man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on a National Disability Insurance Scheme plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. A police investigation has been launched after the man fell unconscious while restrained on Tuesday and died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital. Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy believes an independent death in custody probe may be warranted. She said wounds had been reopened for the people of Yuendumu by the latest incident after "many traumas". "In the interest of having some separation, calls for an independent investigation may be warranted. It may be important to do that, given that there is such tension," Senator McCarthy told ABC. Advocates such as Amnesty International have also backed an independent investigation to "ensure impartiality and to maintain public confidence in the process". But NT Police on Friday "respectfully" rejected the suggestion, saying their investigation would operate under strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "The Northern Territory Police Force acknowledges the tragic death of a 24-year-old man in Alice Springs on Tuesday," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "On behalf of NT police, I extend sincere condolences to his family, friends and community. "I understand the high level of public interest in this matter. However, I respectfully reject calls for the investigation to be handed to an external body." The acting commissioner said he had spoken with Senator McCarthy about her suggestion and conveyed his confidence in the "robust and well-established" system of oversight in place. "I also expressed my full confidence in our detectives and the independent processes already in place within the NT Police Force," he said. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course. We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." The incident has sparked widespread anger, with hundreds attending Friday's vigil. Family and supporters demanded answers during speeches, asking witnesses to come forward. They then entered the Coles supermarket wearing ceremonial paint and carrying branches. Police late on Thursday alleged the 24-year-old man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident and said they were investigating. They also revealed an autopsy had found the man's death was "undetermined". The preliminary result would require "further investigation to provide any substantive cause of death", NT Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said in a statement. The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was in 2022 found not guilty of all charges over the death. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the case. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Calls for an independent probe into a young man's death in custody have been rejected by police after an emotional vigil. Family and supporters shed tears and demanded justice when they gathered in Alice Springs CBD on Friday to remember the mentally disabled 24-year-old. The vigil was held at the Coles supermarket where the young man from the small desert town of Yuendumu was restrained by two police officers. "We want justice," the man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves told the packed gathering. The young man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on a National Disability Insurance Scheme plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. A police investigation has been launched after the man fell unconscious while restrained on Tuesday and died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital. Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy believes an independent death in custody probe may be warranted. She said wounds had been reopened for the people of Yuendumu by the latest incident after "many traumas". "In the interest of having some separation, calls for an independent investigation may be warranted. It may be important to do that, given that there is such tension," Senator McCarthy told ABC. Advocates such as Amnesty International have also backed an independent investigation to "ensure impartiality and to maintain public confidence in the process". But NT Police on Friday "respectfully" rejected the suggestion, saying their investigation would operate under strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "The Northern Territory Police Force acknowledges the tragic death of a 24-year-old man in Alice Springs on Tuesday," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "On behalf of NT police, I extend sincere condolences to his family, friends and community. "I understand the high level of public interest in this matter. However, I respectfully reject calls for the investigation to be handed to an external body." The acting commissioner said he had spoken with Senator McCarthy about her suggestion and conveyed his confidence in the "robust and well-established" system of oversight in place. "I also expressed my full confidence in our detectives and the independent processes already in place within the NT Police Force," he said. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course. We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." The incident has sparked widespread anger, with hundreds attending Friday's vigil. Family and supporters demanded answers during speeches, asking witnesses to come forward. They then entered the Coles supermarket wearing ceremonial paint and carrying branches. Police late on Thursday alleged the 24-year-old man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident and said they were investigating. They also revealed an autopsy had found the man's death was "undetermined". The preliminary result would require "further investigation to provide any substantive cause of death", NT Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said in a statement. The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was in 2022 found not guilty of all charges over the death. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the case. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Calls for an independent probe into a young man's death in custody have been rejected by police after an emotional vigil. Family and supporters shed tears and demanded justice when they gathered in Alice Springs CBD on Friday to remember the mentally disabled 24-year-old. The vigil was held at the Coles supermarket where the young man from the small desert town of Yuendumu was restrained by two police officers. "We want justice," the man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves told the packed gathering. The young man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on a National Disability Insurance Scheme plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. A police investigation has been launched after the man fell unconscious while restrained on Tuesday and died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital. Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy believes an independent death in custody probe may be warranted. She said wounds had been reopened for the people of Yuendumu by the latest incident after "many traumas". "In the interest of having some separation, calls for an independent investigation may be warranted. It may be important to do that, given that there is such tension," Senator McCarthy told ABC. Advocates such as Amnesty International have also backed an independent investigation to "ensure impartiality and to maintain public confidence in the process". But NT Police on Friday "respectfully" rejected the suggestion, saying their investigation would operate under strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "The Northern Territory Police Force acknowledges the tragic death of a 24-year-old man in Alice Springs on Tuesday," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "On behalf of NT police, I extend sincere condolences to his family, friends and community. "I understand the high level of public interest in this matter. However, I respectfully reject calls for the investigation to be handed to an external body." The acting commissioner said he had spoken with Senator McCarthy about her suggestion and conveyed his confidence in the "robust and well-established" system of oversight in place. "I also expressed my full confidence in our detectives and the independent processes already in place within the NT Police Force," he said. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course. We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." The incident has sparked widespread anger, with hundreds attending Friday's vigil. Family and supporters demanded answers during speeches, asking witnesses to come forward. They then entered the Coles supermarket wearing ceremonial paint and carrying branches. Police late on Thursday alleged the 24-year-old man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident and said they were investigating. They also revealed an autopsy had found the man's death was "undetermined". The preliminary result would require "further investigation to provide any substantive cause of death", NT Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said in a statement. The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was in 2022 found not guilty of all charges over the death. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the case. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
The Guardian
5 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Family of Warlpiri man who died after being restrained by police in supermarket demand independent inquiry
An independent investigator must be appointed to examine the death of a Warlpiri man in police custody, family members say, while also demanding video footage be released. The 24-year-old man with disabilities from Yuendemu died on Tuesday afternoon after police restrained him in an Alice Springs supermarket. His family wants Northern Territory police to 'immediately cease making public statements or media briefings that speculate on the cause of death or denigrate the character of the deceased'. They have also asked the force to retract any statements already made 'where they suggest criminality or aggression on the part of the deceased in the absence of any finding by a court or coroner or other independent investigation'. Solicitor George Newhouse has written to the police's acting commissioner Martin Dole on behalf of Warlpiri elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, who is the 24-year-old's grandfather. The family stated that NT police should 'appoint an independent body from another state or territory to undertake … investigations in a culturally safe manner'. The letter said police should also immediately provide 'all relevant CCTV and body-worn camera footage involving the deceased prior to and during his time in custody'. NT police on Friday rejected the call for an independent investigation. 'I respectfully reject calls for the investigation to be handed to an external body,' Dole said in a statement. 'This incident is being investigated by our major crime division, which operates under strict protocols and with full transparency. The investigation will also be independently reviewed by the NT coroner.' NT police did not respond on Friday to calls for footage to be released. Hargraves and others met at the Coles on Friday to remember Kumanjayi – a substitute name for someone who has died – and to demand justice. 'I am devastated by the death of my Jaja [grandson], another Warlpiri man who has had his life taken at the hands of the NT police,' Hargraves said. The man's death came days before coronial inquest findings were due after the 2019 death of Kumanjayi Walker, who was shot and killed by police officer Zachary Rolfe. The findings, due to be released on 10 June, could be delayed because of this week's death. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Police said there was a confrontation between the 24-year-old and a security guard about 1.10pm in the Alice Springs supermarket. The man had been 'placing items down the front of his clothing', police alleged. The NT police assistant commissioner Travis Wurst said on Tuesday the man 'behaved rather aggressively and was placed on to the ground' by police officers. 'He was later identified as losing consciousness,' Wurst said. The man stopped breathing and was given CPR before being taken to Alice Springs hospital. He was pronounced dead about 2.20pm. The Indigenous Australians minister, Malarndirri McCarthy, said on Friday that an independent investigation 'may be warranted'. 'It may be important to do that,' she told ABC radio. McCarthy said on Thursday that misinformation and rumours 'often abound in these circumstances' and that compounded grief and anger for families. Anthony Beven, from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), supported the camera footage being released to stop 'rumours and innuendo'. 'The footage will be disclosed at the coronial inquiry but, as Mr Hargraves and the family were saying, the longer it goes without people seeing that footage, the more thoughts are going through people's minds as to what happened or didn't happen,' he said. 'For the sake of transparency and alleviating any concerns the family has around what occurred, NAAJA fully supports the CCTV and body cam footage being released publicly – and if not to the public, at least to the family.' Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support; or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
