WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following story contains an image of a deceased person.
Four and a half years after she was shot in the stomach by a WA police officer, troubled Indigenous woman JC will be the focus of a two-week coronial inquest that will ask questions about the medical care she received prior to her death, as well as whether the police response on the night of her death was justified.
Yamatji woman, JC. This photo has been published with the permission of her family.
The inquest, which began on Monday in Geraldton, will hear from multiple witnesses including constable Brent Wyndham who was arrested and charged – and then later acquitted – of murder.
Wyndham pleaded not guilty to murder after he shot the 29-year-old Yamatji woman in the stomach. He went on trial over the matter but was found not guilty of murder or manslaughter and walked free causing national outcry and protests.
Now her death will be probed from all angles including an analysis of whether the medical care she received prior to her death was sufficient given she had schizophrenia and had been hospitalised just days prior to her death.
In the days and hours leading up to her death, JC also made multiple indications that she wanted to die by suicide and was found by police walking along a Geraldton street holding a large knife and a pair of scissors.
Constable Brent Wyndham is the officer who fatally shot JC.Credit: ABC News: Keane Bourke
“At 1819 hours and 39 seconds, Officer Cleghorn radioed again,” counsel assisting Rachael Young told the Coroner’s Court of WA on day one of the inquest.
“She stated ‘it is [JC, using her first name] and she’s ignoring us she’s got a pair of scissors in her left hand ... and she’s got a really big knife in her right hand. We’re still in the vehicle, she’s not acknowledging our direction’.
“In both those radio calls, a male voice, believed to be Officer Walker can be heard yelling out ‘Oi’, presumably to JC.
“Despite Officer Cleghorn and Walker’s attempts, JC continued walking down Petchell Street.”
Moments later she was dead.
On day one of the inquest, the court was told eight officers attended to calls about JC carrying a knife.
“Your Honour will hear from each of those eight officers involved,” Young told the court.
“Each gives evidence of giving, or hearing the giving, of commands to JC to drop the knife, of threats that she will be tasered, of using her first name and expletives to try and get her to drop the knife. JC did not comply with those commands.”
The inquest is expected to last two weeks and will be held in both Geraldton and Perth.
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