Family lashes out over delays in death in custody probe

By LLOYD JONES

A protest rally has been flagged by the family of an Indigenous man who died in police custody amid renewed calls for the officers involved to be stood down.

Kumanjayi White’s family on Thursday said they were “deeply distressed” ahead of the Northern Territory coroner’s public hearing into the case, repeating calls for the officers involved to be stood down.

The Northern Territory’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has yet to decide whether charges will be laid against the officers after the death of Mr White in Alice Springs five months ago.

The death of the 24-year-old after he was forcibly restrained by the officers caused national outrage and prompted calls for an independent investigation.

Kumanjayi White’s family renewed calls for the officers involved in his arrest to be stood down. (Keira Jenkins/AAP PHOTOS)

Mr White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 in an Alice Springs supermarket’s confectionery aisle.

Police allege he was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard.

A final autopsy report has been completed and police have referred a brief of evidence to prosecutors.

On Thursday the NT coroner is holding a directions hearing on the case at Alice Springs set to be attended by Mr White’s family.

The family said they had still received no update on whether criminal charges would be laid against the officers involved.

The coronial process remains ongoing in the Kumanjayi White case, Commissioner Martin Dole says. (Lloyd Jones/AAP )

The DPP was reportedly holding a media briefing on Thursday but that would be “culturally unsafe, deeply insensitive” the family said.

“The family remains deeply distressed by the ongoing delays, the lack of communication from police investigators and the DPP, as well as the absence of independent oversight,” a family statement said.

They are particularly concerned that the police officers involved are still serving.

Independent investigation called for

“How is this possible? They must be stood down immediately,” Warlpiri elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, Mr White’s grandfather, said in the statement.

He flagged a protest rally at the NT parliament on November 22 “to take a stand against the racist CLP (Country Liberal Party) government”.

“We want an end to this government and their policies that are locking up and killing our people.”

Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves questions how officers who arrested his late grandson are still serving. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

George Newhouse, National Justice Project Principal Solicitor, said the ongoing delays and uncertainty were eroding what little faith the family had in the legal system.

An independent investigation was still urgently needed, he said in the statement.

In September, then Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole said police acknowledged the “profound grief” Mr White’s death had caused across Australia and in the community, who expected answers and transparency.

Both officers involved were in non-operational administrative roles, he said.

Mr White was originally from the same outback Yuendumu community that lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was shot by then-NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a botched arrest.

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