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Aboriginal activist Sam Watson addresses media outside the Brisbane District Court last night, shortly after Lex Wotton was convicted of rioting with destruction. He is facing up to life in prison. |
LEX WOTTON TRIAL: Jury returns GUILTY verdict; Wottons faces up to life in prison
Thursday, 16 October 2008
By Chris Graham
IN BRISBANE
NATIONAL, October 25, 2008: An all-white jury has returned a verdict of 'guilty' in the trial of Palm Island leader Lex Wotton for 'rioting with destruction'.
Late last night, the jury delivered its verdict to a Brisbane District courtroom packed with media and friends and family of Mr Wotton.
Outside the court, Aboriginal activist and friend of Mr Wotton's, Sam Watson, told a media scrum that it was “business as usual in the sovereign state of Queensland”.
Mr Wotton is facing a sentence of up to life in prison. He has been remanded in custody to reappear in Townsville District Court on November 7 before Judge Michael Shanahan.
The verdict was met initially with silence from Mr Wotton's friends and family, who have been in court every day during the three-week trial. But as the reality began to sink in, his mother, Agnes, cried out 'No justice' as Correctional Services officers led Mr Wotton into the rear of the courthouse.
His wife Cecelia, and his children, were assisted from the courtroom by friends. They sobbed outside as a crowd of around 20 supporters looked on in stunned silence.
Later, the group braved the media scrum waiting outside the courtroom. Cecelia had to be assisted into a taxi, unable to speak and barely able to walk.
Mr Wotton was charged after the November 2004 uprising on Palm Island, in which a police station, adjoining courthouse, a police residence and a vehicle were destroyed by fire.
The uprising occurred after the death in custody of Mulrunji Doomadgee, a 36-year-old Palm Island man who had been arrested for public nuisance by Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, the officer-in-charge of the Palm Island police station.
Within an hour of his arrest, Mulrunji lay dead on the floor of a police cell, a victim of massive internal injuries, including a ruptured spleen, four broken ribs and a liver that had been 'almost cleaved in two' from a huge compressive force.
A subsequent coronial inquest found that Snr Sgt Hurley was responsible for the death. It also uncovered numerous breaches of procedures by Queensland Police in the ensuing investigation.
The community erupted on November 26 - a week to the day after the death - after they were told at a town meeting than a pathologist's report had found Mulrunji's death was an accident.
After several years of fully paid leave while awaiting trial on manslaughter charges (at which he was acquitted) Snr Sgt Hurley has since received a promotion, and is now an Inspector of police working on the Gold Coast.
He received a $100,000 compensation payout from the Queensland Government for property lost in the fire, and his legal bills were covered by the Queensland Police Union, and fundraising efforts by QPS members.
Aboriginal activist Sam Watson addressed a media scrum outside the court, shortly after the verdict, calling the decision “business as usual” for Queensland.
"Aboriginal people would be absolutely outraged," he said. "You have an all-white court: a white judge, white lawyers, a white jury deciding on the merits of a case that involves very deep Aboriginal cultural issues.
"There is no justice for Aboriginal people within the courts of Queensland."
Mr Watson indicated Mr Wotton would be speaking with his lawyers about the possibility of an appeal against the conviction.
He also said that there would be major rallies in all major Australian cities to protest against the death.
• NIT will bring you further details as it comes to hand.
* A NOTE TO OUR ONLINE
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