Black Tears

The inquest into the death of a Palm Island man in police custody
has reopened in north Queensland.
Cameron Doomadgee (Mulrunji) died in police custody on Palm Island
in 2004. An inquest into the death held in 2005 concluded that Senior
Sergeant Chris Hurley caused the fatal injuries.
He was found not guilty of manslaughter and assault in 2007.
In what may yet be the greatest miscalculation,
Sergeant Hurley later appealed the original inquest findings
and a district court judge ordered the inquest be reopened.

On September 27, 2006 deputy coroner Christine Clements had
released the findings from the inquest she conducted into the death.
These included that Hurley had caused the fatal injuries when he
repeatedly punched Doomadgee after they entered the Palm Island
police station. As the autopsy revealed, Doomadgee suffered bruising
to the face, four broken ribs, a ruptured portal vein and his liver
was so damaged it was cleaved almost in two.

There has never been any doubt in what caused the death of Mulrunji
only if his horrific injuries were the result of his being beaten to death,
or the result of an accidental fall.
I wasn't terribly surprised when Hurley was acquitted, I didn't expect
justice after all, but I'm still buggered how the death was found to be
accidental,
Lets hope this time the truth is revealed!
Brisbane darlings Powerfinger wrote a song about the sorry saga,
they were threatened with legal action and toned things down a bit.
Anyone who wants a bit more detailed reading on this subject
have a look at this article from the Australian, Here

A big thank you to Carmen for the idea for this post

Black Tears - Powerfinger

Fragile little thing go lightly on the wing
Don't be put off your game
If troubled wind should blow you off your way
Natural love and trust
Have downed their tools and struck
The nation's heart it rusts is no surprise
and seems so appropriate today

Black tears on a red rock
Fall right through and they dry up
How could it fail to grab your attention
Black tears on a red rock

These trees bear a strange fruit
Harvesting lies and poisoned blossoms of the truth
There's blood on all our hands and blood on our boots
And black tears on a red rock

An island watch house bed
A black man's lying dead
An island watch house bed
A black man's lying dead