Mulrunji Doomadgee case hits police

QUEENSLAND'S Crime and Misconduct Commission will run all future investigations into deaths in police custody.

QUEENSLAND'S Crime and Misconduct Commission will run all future investigations into deaths in police custody after a coroner found it should have immediately been involved in the Mulrunji Doomadgee case.

The move came as Police Minister Neil Roberts told state parliament he was concerned by the finding of the third inquest into the Palm Islander's 2004 death of possible "collusion and fabrication" of evidence by some police.

The CMC, picking up a recommendation by acting coroner and deputy chief magistrate Brian Hine, said yesterday it would take on the police service's job of investigating deaths in police custody.

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said the service had always recognised the perception problem of "police investigating police" in such sensitive cases.

But none of the investigations into the 50 deaths in police custody since that of Doomadgee five years ago had attracted adverse comment from a coroner or the CMC.

Mr Hine last week found that a heavily-intoxicated Doomadgee, 36, had died of internal injuries sustained during a scuffle at the island lockup with policeman Chris Hurley on November 16, 2004. The original inquest was abandoned after the coroner concerned stood down due to a perception of bias, while the findings of the second inquiry, blaming Sergeant Hurley, were quashed by the Queensland Court of Appeal.

The policeman himself was acquitted of charges of manslaughter and assaulting Doomadgee in 2007.

Mr Hine delivered an open finding on whether Sergeant Hurley had meant to cause Doomadgee harm when he fell on him with such force that his liver was ripped apart.

But he found Sergeant Hurley had probably lied in giving some of his evidence.

Mr Hine also found that Sergeant Hurley had been tipped off about the statements of key witnesses, giving rise to a "perception of collusion" between him and the investigating police.

Mr Roberts said a separate report by the CMC into the police investigation of Doomadgee's death, to be released soon, would raise "issues" about the conduct of the officers concerned.