143-445: The 2004 Palm Island death in custody incident relates to the death of an Aboriginal resident of Palm Island , Cameron Doomadgee (also known as "Mulrunji") on Friday, 19 November 2004 in a police cell. The death of Mulrunji led to civic disturbances on the island and a legal, political and media sensation that continued for fourteen years. The Attorney-General of Queensland , Kerry Shine , indicted an Australian police officer for
286-587: A Holocene hunter-gatherer sample ("Leang Panninge") from South Sulawesi , which shares high amounts of genetic drift with Aboriginal Australians and Papuans. This suggests that a population split from the common ancestor of Aboriginal Australians and Papuans. The sample also shows genetic affinity with East Asians and the Andamanese people of South Asia. The authors note that this hunter-gatherer sample can be modelled with ~50% Papuan-related ancestry and either with ~50% East Asian or Andamanese Onge ancestry, highlighting
429-417: A body bag or evidence sheet. A new body bag is used for each body to ensure that only evidence from that body is contained within the bag. Evidence sheets are an alternative way to transport the body. An evidence sheet is a sterile sheet that covers the body when it is moved. If it is believed there may be any significant evidence on the hands, for example, gunshot residue or skin under the fingernails ,
572-492: A Palm Island Councillor. By 6 December 2004, 19 accused were granted bail by the Queensland Chief Magistrate. Conditions were imposed such as not being allowed to return to Palm Island, not even for the funeral of Mulrunji. Another notable condition of bail was that they were not to attend rallies or marches over the death in custody. The circumstances leading up to the riot were taken into consideration when bail
715-412: A cause of class I errors. While patients with abdominal pathologic conditions generally complained of abdominal pain, results of an examination of the abdomen were considered unremarkable in most patients, and the symptom was not pursued". There are four main types of autopsy: A forensic autopsy is used to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death. Forensic science involves the application of
858-616: A criminal trial for the first time since the public prosecutor 's office was established. The officer, Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, who was charged for a death in custody , was acquitted by the jury in June 2007. Hurley medically retired from the Gold Coast station of the Queensland Police in 2017 following a string of charges while serving as a police officer including assault and dangerous driving . Police raids and behaviour following
1001-422: A deceased individual. It is an alternative to medical autopsies, where radiographs are used, for example, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Computed tomography ( CT scan ) which produce radiographic images in order to determine the cause of death, the nature, and the manner of death, without dissecting the deceased. It can also be used in the identification of the deceased. This method is helpful in determining
1144-472: A five-point plan to restore order to local leaders. There was much debate over the appropriateness of the police and government response to the riot. Complaints were made that Aboriginal Legal Aid had been denied access to the Island. Queensland Police Union President Denis Fitzpatrick demanded the rioters be charged with attempted murder of 12 police. The police who had been stationed on the island indicated through
1287-593: A gene flow from India to Australia: firstly, signs of South Asian components in Aboriginal Australian genomes, reported on the basis of genome-wide SNP data; and secondly, the existence of a Y chromosome (male) lineage, designated haplogroup C∗, with the most recent common ancestor about 5,000 years ago. The first type of evidence comes from a 2013 study by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology using large-scale genotyping data from
1430-617: A job in relation to alcohol where the person has not committed any other offences besides being drunk in public, the only option we have is to take them to the watch-house". Leanne Clare , the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), announced on 14 December 2006 that no charges would be laid as there was no evidence proving that Hurley was responsible for Mulrunji's death. She reportedly received advice from former Supreme Court judge James B. Thomas before making this decision. The incident also resulted in an investigation by
1573-731: A person as Indigenous. (Torres Strait Islanders are ethnically and culturally distinct, despite extensive cultural exchange with some of the Aboriginal groups, and the Torres Strait Islands are mostly part of Queensland but have a separate governmental status .) Some Aboriginal people object to being labelled Indigenous , as an artificial and denialist term, because some non-Aboriginal people have referred to themselves as indigenous because they were born in Australia. Australian Indigenous people have beliefs unique to each mob ( tribe ) and have
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#17330862390021716-444: A pillow in an open casket funeral . The scalp is pulled away from the skull in two flaps with the front flap going over the face and the rear flap over the back of the neck. The skull is then cut with a circular (or semicircular) bladed reciprocating saw to create a "cap" that can be pulled off, exposing the brain. The brain is then observed in situ. Then the brain's connections to the cranial nerves and spinal cord are severed, and
1859-412: A poison) and their quantity. Because post-mortem deterioration of the body, together with the gravitational pooling of bodily fluids, will necessarily alter the bodily environment, toxicology tests may overestimate, rather than underestimate, the quantity of the suspected chemical. Following an in-depth examination of all the evidence , a medical examiner or coroner will assign a manner of death from
2002-588: A pool of Aboriginal Australians, New Guineans, island Southeast Asians, and Indians. It found that the New Guinea and Mamanwa (Philippines area) groups diverged from the Aboriginal about 36,000 years ago (there is supporting evidence that these populations are descended from migrants taking an early "southern route" out of Africa, before other groups in the area). Also the Indian and Australian populations mixed long before European contact, with this gene flow occurring during
2145-615: A profound spiritual connection. Over the millennia, Aboriginal people developed complex trade networks, inter-cultural relationships, law and religions. Contemporary Aboriginal beliefs are a complex mixture, varying by region and individual across the continent. They are shaped by traditional beliefs, the disruption of colonisation, religions brought to the continent by Europeans, and contemporary issues. Traditional cultural beliefs are passed down and shared through dancing , stories , songlines , and art that collectively weave an ontology of modern daily life and ancient creation known as
2288-443: A separate paper sack is put around each hand and taped shut around the wrist. There are two parts to the physical examination of the body: the external and internal examination. Toxicology , biochemical tests or genetic testing / molecular autopsy often supplement these and frequently assist the pathologist in assigning the cause or causes of death. At many institutions, the person responsible for handling, cleaning, and moving
2431-467: A significant number of non-MIs were MIs. A systematic review of studies of the autopsy calculated that in about 25% of autopsies, a major diagnostic error will be revealed. However, this rate has decreased over time and the study projects that in a contemporary US institution, 8.4% to 24.4% of autopsies will detect major diagnostic errors. A large meta-analysis suggested that approximately one-third of death certificates are incorrect and that half of
2574-483: A single group. Aboriginal identity has changed over time and place, with family lineage, self-identification, and community acceptance all of varying importance. In the 2021 census , Indigenous Australians comprised 3.8% of Australia's population. Most Aboriginal people today speak English and live in cities. Some may use Aboriginal phrases and words in Australian Aboriginal English (which also has
2717-411: A spirit creates the earth then tells the humans to treat the animals and the earth in a way which is respectful to land. In Northern Territory this is commonly said to be a huge snake or snakes that weaved its way through the earth and sky making the mountains and oceans. But in other places the spirits who created the world are known as wandjina rain and water spirits. Major ancestral spirits include
2860-470: A strong connection to the land. Contemporary Indigenous Australian beliefs are a complex mixture, varying by region and individual across the continent. They are shaped by traditional beliefs, the disruption of colonisation, religions brought to the continent by Europeans, and contemporary issues. Traditional cultural beliefs are passed down and shared by dancing , stories , songlines and art —especially Papunya Tula (dot painting)—collectively telling
3003-427: A tangible influence of Aboriginal languages in the phonology and grammatical structure ). Many but not all also speak the various traditional languages of their clans and peoples. Aboriginal people, along with Torres Strait Islander people, have a number of severe health and economic deprivations in comparison with the wider Australian community. DNA studies have confirmed that "Aboriginal Australians are one of
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#17330862390023146-582: A three-day directions hearing in Brisbane. In late September 2006, Clements found that Doomadgee was killed as a result of punches by Hurley. She also accused the police of failing to investigate his death fully. In response to the coroner's findings, Queensland Police Union president Gary Wilkinson was highly critical, saying that the coroner's use of "unreliable evidence from a drunk" was "simply unbelievable". The coroner also said that Mulrunji should not have been arrested, and that local police had not learned from
3289-750: Is an increase in allele sharing between the Denisovan and Aboriginal Australian genomes, compared to other Eurasians or Africans. Examining DNA from a finger bone excavated in Siberia , researchers concluded that the Denisovans migrated from Siberia to tropical parts of Asia and that they interbred with modern humans in Southeast Asia 44,000 years BP, before Australia separated from New Guinea approximately 11,700 years BP. They contributed DNA to Aboriginal Australians and to present-day New Guineans and an indigenous tribe in
3432-471: Is based on the Aboriginal peoples' geographical isolation, with little or no interaction with outside cultures before some contact with Makassan fishermen and Dutch explorers up to 500 years ago. The Rasmussen study also found evidence that Aboriginal peoples carry some genes associated with the Denisovans (a species of human related to but distinct from Neanderthals ) of Asia; the study suggests that there
3575-405: Is collected from the external surfaces of the body. Ultraviolet light may also be used to search body surfaces for any evidence not easily visible to the naked eye. Samples of hair , nails , and the like are taken, and the body may also be radiographically imaged . Once the external evidence is collected, the body is removed from the bag, undressed, and any wounds present are examined. The body
3718-412: Is generally used for non-human animals. Autopsies are usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist . Only a small portion of deaths require an autopsy to be performed, under certain circumstances. In most cases, a medical examiner or coroner can determine the cause of death. Autopsies are performed for either legal or medical purposes. Autopsies can be performed when any of
3861-480: Is no evidence for South Asian gene flow to Australia .... Despite Sahul being a single connected landmass until [8,000 years ago], different groups across Australia are nearly equally related to Papuans, and vice versa, and the two appear to have separated genetically already [about 30,000 years ago]." Aboriginal Australians possess inherited abilities to adapt to a wide range of environmental temperatures in various ways. A study in 1958 comparing cold adaptation in
4004-414: Is no need for any incision to be made, which will be visible after completion of the examination when the deceased is dressed in a shroud. In all of the above cases, the incision then extends all the way down to the pubic bone (making a deviation to either side of the navel) and avoiding, where possible, transecting any scars that may be present. Bleeding from the cuts is minimal, or non-existent because
4147-445: Is not made. Autopsies are used in clinical medicine to identify a medical error or a previously unnoticed condition that may endanger the living, such as infectious diseases or exposure to hazardous materials . A study that focused on myocardial infarction (heart attack) as a cause of death found significant errors of omission and commission, i.e. a sizable number of cases ascribed to myocardial infarctions (MIs) were not MIs and
4290-453: Is only in the last two hundred years that they have been defined and started to self-identify as a single group, socio-politically. While some preferred the term Aborigine to Aboriginal in the past, as the latter was seen to have more directly discriminatory legal origins, use of the term Aborigine has declined in recent decades, as many consider the term an offensive and racist hangover from Australia's colonial era. The definition of
4433-451: Is sometimes termed a "view and grant". The principle behind this is that the medical records, history of the deceased and circumstances of death have all indicated as to the cause and manner of death without the need for an internal examination. If not already in place, a plastic or rubber brick called a "head block" is placed under the shoulders of the corpse; hyperflexion of the neck makes the spine arch backward while stretching and pushing
2004 Palm Island death in custody - Misplaced Pages Continue
4576-497: Is that the desert people are able to have a higher body temperature without accelerating the activity of the whole of the body, which can be especially detrimental in childhood diseases. This helps protect people to survive the side-effects of infection. Aboriginal people have lived for tens of thousands of years on the continent of Australia , through its various changes in landmass. The area within Australia 's borders today includes
4719-581: Is the examination of murder victims, especially when medical examiners are looking for signs of death or the murder method, such as bullet wounds and exit points, signs of strangulation , or traces of poison . Some religions including Judaism and Islam usually discourage the performing of autopsies on their adherents. Organizations such as ZAKA in Israel and Misaskim in the United States generally guide families on how to ensure that an unnecessary autopsy
4862-548: Is then cleaned, weighed, and measured in preparation for the internal examination. A general description of the body as regards ethnic group , sex , age, hair colour and length, eye colour , and other distinguishing features ( birthmarks , old scar tissue , moles , tattoos , etc.) is then made. A voice recorder or a standard examination form is normally used to record this information. In some countries, e.g. , Scotland, France, Germany, Russia, and Canada, an autopsy may comprise an external examination only. This concept
5005-413: Is used almost all of the time. The various organs are examined, weighed and tissue samples in the form of slices are taken. Even major blood vessels are cut open and inspected at this stage. Next, the stomach and intestinal contents are examined and weighed. This could be useful to find the cause and time of death, due to the natural passage of food through the bowel during digestion. The more area empty,
5148-498: The CC BY 4.0 license. Autopsy An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination , obduction , necropsy , or autopsia cadaverum ) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death ; or the exam may be performed to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present for research or educational purposes. The term necropsy
5291-486: The CSIRO stressed the importance of taking a demand-driven approach to services in desert settlements, and concluded that "if top-down solutions continue to be imposed without appreciating the fundamental drivers of settlement in desert regions, then those solutions will continue to be partial, and ineffective in the long term." [REDACTED] This article incorporates text by Anders Bergström et al. available under
5434-589: The Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC). Included in the duties of the CMC is investigating allegations of police misconduct . Included in the allegations made against Hurley was that he wrongfully caused the death of Mulrunji. Although Prosecution were concerned with disciplinary proceedings rather than criminal court proceedings, the CMC reached the same conclusion as the DPP in relation to Hurley being criminally responsible for causing
5577-573: The Initial Upper Paleolithic . They are most closely related to other Oceanians , such as Melanesians . The Aboriginal Australians also show affinity to other Australasian populations, such as Negritos , as well as to East Asian peoples . Phylogenetic data suggests that an early initial eastern lineage (ENA) trifurcated somewhere in South Asia , and gave rise to Australasians (Oceanians), Ancient Ancestral South Indian (AASI), Andamanese and
5720-688: The Kimberley region in what is now Western Australia about 60,000 years ago. They migrated across the continent within 6,000 years. A 2018 study using archaeobotany dated evidence of continuous human habitation at Karnatukul (Serpent's Glen) in the Carnarvon Range in the Little Sandy Desert in WA from around 50,000 years ago. Genetic studies have revealed that Aboriginal Australians largely descended from an Eastern Eurasian population wave during
5863-657: The Northern Territory to study their genetic makeup (which is not representative of all Aboriginal peoples in Australia). The study concluded that the Warlpiri are descended from ancient Asians whose DNA is still somewhat present in Southeastern Asian groups, although greatly diminished. The Warlpiri DNA lacks certain information found in modern Asian genomes, and carries information not found in other genomes. This reinforces
2004 Palm Island death in custody - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-505: The Pleistocene epoch and lived over large sections of the Australian continental shelf when the sea levels were lower. At that time, Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea were part of the same landmass, known as Sahul . As sea levels rose, the people on the Australian mainland and nearby islands became increasingly isolated, some on Tasmania and some of the smaller offshore islands when
6149-582: The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 , with the raids being "unnecessary, disproportionate" and police having "acted in these ways because they were dealing with an Aboriginal community". The raids resulted in a record A$ 30 million class action settlement and a formal apology to be made by the State Government. Later the same day approximately 80 additional police from Townsville and Cairns were flown to Palm Island to restore order. Part of
6292-611: The Rainbow Serpent , Baiame , Dirawong and Bunjil . Similarly, the Arrernte people of central Australia believed that humanity originated from great superhuman ancestors who brought the sun, wind and rain as a result of breaking through the surface of the Earth when waking from their slumber. Taken as a whole, Aboriginal Australians, along with Torres Strait Islander people, have a number of health and economic deprivations in comparison with
6435-637: The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. On the first day of the inquiry the Coroner also disclosed that he had headed the complaints section of the Criminal Justice Commission in the early 1990s, when several complaints had been made about Hurley, but he had not handled the investigation and could not remember the complaints. Although he had not been involved in the investigation, Barnes
6578-464: The afterlife (as with the Egyptians, who removed the organs through tiny slits in the body). Notable Greek autopsists were Erasistratus and Herophilus of Chalcedon , who lived in 3rd century BCE Alexandria , but in general, autopsies were rare in ancient Greece. In 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was the subject of an official autopsy after his murder by rival senators, the physician's report noting that
6721-473: The chest upward to make it easier to incise. This gives the APT, or pathologist, maximum exposure to the trunk . After this is done, the internal examination begins. The internal examination consists of inspecting the internal organs of the body by dissection for evidence of trauma or other indications of the cause of death. For the internal examination there are a number of different approaches available: There
6864-421: The federal government 's 1987–1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and whether its recommendations to prevent deaths in custody had been implemented by the government. Cameron Doomadgee, an Aboriginal Australian , was aged 36 when he died, at about 11:20am on Palm Island , one hour after being picked up for allegedly causing a public nuisance. Mulrunji was placed in the two-cell lockup which
7007-453: The hilum . The right lung can then be similarly removed. The abdominal organs can be removed one by one after first examining their relationships and vessels. Most pathologists, however, prefer the organs to be removed all in one "block". Using dissection of the fascia, blunt dissection; using the fingers or hands and traction; the organs are dissected out in one piece for further inspection and sampling. During autopsies of infants, this method
7150-417: The pulmonary artery is opened in order to search for a blood clot. The heart can then be removed by cutting the inferior vena cava, the pulmonary veins, the aorta and pulmonary artery, and the superior vena cava . This method leaves the aortic arch intact, which will make things easier for the embalmer. The left lung is then easily accessible and can be removed by cutting the bronchus , artery, and vein at
7293-413: The (Aboriginal) volunteer fire brigade had stones thrown at them while they tried to put out the courthouse and police station fires. The volatile situation was attributed to the lack of consultation with the family and community combined with the premature public release of the autopsy report. They appeared to have jumped to a conclusion given their description of the death as "cold blooded murder". As
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#17330862390027436-610: The 17th century. The term "post-mortem" derives from the Latin post , 'after', and mortem , 'death'. It was first recorded in 1734. The term "necropsy" is derived from the Greek νεκρός 'death' and ὄψις ( opsis , 'sight, view'). The principal aims of an autopsy are to determine the cause of death , mode of death, manner of death , the state of health of the person before he or she died, and whether any medical diagnosis and treatment before death were appropriate. In most Western countries
7579-774: The 1970s and 1980s, when Aboriginal people moved to tiny remote settlements on traditional land, brought health benefits, but funding them proved expensive, training and employment opportunities were not provided in many cases, and support from governments dwindled in the 2000s, particularly in the era of the Howard government . Indigenous communities in remote Australia are often small, isolated towns with basic facilities, on traditionally owned land . These communities have between 20 and 300 inhabitants and are often closed to outsiders for cultural reasons. The long-term viability and resilience of Aboriginal communities in desert areas has been discussed by scholars and policy-makers. A 2007 report by
7722-655: The 19th century. Scholars believe that most Aboriginal Australians originated from Southeast Asia. If this is the case, Aboriginal Australians were among the first in the world to have completed sea voyages. A 2017 paper in Nature evaluated artefacts in Kakadu . Its authors concluded "Human occupation began around 65,000 years ago." A 2021 study by researchers at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage has mapped
7865-458: The Doomadgee family. The family also hired a private investigator to conduct an independent investigation of the death. On 8 February 2005 an initial one-day directions hearing for a full coronial inquiry into the death in custody was held. It was decided by Coroner Michael Barnes that the inquiry would take place on the island so that the people of Palm Island would have the opportunity to observe
8008-491: The Dreaming . Studies of Aboriginal groups' genetic makeup are ongoing, but evidence suggests that they have genetic inheritance from ancient Asian but not more modern peoples. They share some similarities with Papuans , but have been isolated from Southeast Asia for a very long time. They have a broadly shared, complex genetic history, but only in the last 200 years were they defined by others as, and started to self-identify as,
8151-599: The East/Southeast Asian lineage, including ancestors of the Native Americans . Papuans may have received approximately 2% of their geneflow from an earlier group (xOOA) as well, next to additional archaic admixture in the Sahul region. Aboriginal people are genetically most similar to the indigenous populations of Papua New Guinea , and more distantly related to groups from East Indonesia. They are more distinct from
8294-864: The Holocene ( c. 4,200 years ago). The researchers had two theories for this: either some Indians had contact with people in Indonesia who eventually transferred those Indian genes to Aboriginal Australians, or a group of Indians migrated from India to Australia and intermingled with the locals directly. However, a 2016 study in Current Biology by Anders Bergström et al. excluded the Y chromosome as providing evidence for recent gene flow from India into Australia. The study authors sequenced 13 Aboriginal Australian Y chromosomes using recent advances in gene sequencing technology. They investigated their divergence times from Y chromosomes in other continents, including comparing
8437-849: The Northern, Southern and Central cultural areas. The Northern and Southern areas, having richer natural marine and woodland resources, were more densely populated than the Central area. There are various other names from Australian Aboriginal languages commonly used to identify groups based on geography , known as demonyms , including: Other group names are based on the language group or specific dialect spoken . These also coincide with geographical regions of varying sizes. A few examples are: However, these lists are neither exhaustive nor definitive, and there are overlaps. Different approaches have been taken by non-Aboriginal scholars in trying to understand and define Aboriginal culture and societies, some focusing on
8580-759: The Philippines known as Mamanwa . This study confirms Aboriginal Australians as one of the oldest living populations in the world. They are possibly the oldest outside Africa, and they may have the oldest continuous culture on the planet. A 2016 study at the University of Cambridge suggests that it was about 50,000 years ago that these peoples reached Sahul (the supercontinent consisting of present-day Australia and its islands and New Guinea ). The sea levels rose and isolated Australia about 10,000 years ago, but Aboriginal Australians and Papuans diverged from each other genetically earlier, about 37,000 years BP, possibly because
8723-655: The Queensland Government, the Doomadgee family, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and the Queensland Police Service. During the directions hearing the Doomadgee family requested that the deceased be referred to by his tribal name "Mulrunji" in line with Aboriginal custom, which was not opposed. Barnes had previously been the Aboriginal Legal Aid solicitor for two families before
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#17330862390028866-642: The UK and worldwide has declined rapidly over the past 50 years. In the UK in 2013, only 0.7% of inpatient adult deaths were followed by consented autopsy. The autopsy rate in Germany is below 5% and thus much lower than in other countries in Europe. The governmental reimbursement is hardly sufficient to cover all the costs, so the medical journal Deutsches Ärzteblatt , issued by the German Medical Association , makes
9009-405: The UK is a modified version of this method, which is divided into four groups of organs. Although these are the two predominant evisceration techniques, in the UK variations on these are widespread. One method is described here: The pericardial sac is opened to view the heart. Blood for chemical analysis may be removed from the inferior vena cava or the pulmonary veins. Before removing the heart,
9152-493: The UK, following the Human Tissue Act 2004 all organs and tissue must be returned to the body unless permission is given by the family to retain any tissue for further investigation. Normally the internal body cavity is lined with cotton, wool, or a similar material, and the organs are then placed into a plastic bag to prevent leakage and are returned to the body cavity. The chest flaps are then closed and sewn back together and
9295-711: The Union that they did not wish to return to Island duties. An emergency situation was declared under the Public Safety Preservation Act 1986 (the Act) on the afternoon of the riot. It was lifted two days later, just before the Premier's arrival. Later the timing of the "emergency" was disputed by lawyers for the Palm Island community. The lawyers maintained two key points, firstly that the emergency could only last for as long as
9438-444: The ancient people expanded and differentiated into distinct groups, each with its own language and culture. More than 400 distinct Australian Aboriginal peoples have been identified, distinguished by names designating their ancestral languages, dialects, or distinctive speech patterns. According to noted anthropologist , archaeologist and sociologist Harry Lourandos , historically, these groups lived in three main cultural areas,
9581-760: The autopsies performed produced findings that were not suspected before the person died. Also, it is thought that over one-fifth of unexpected findings can only be diagnosed histologically , i.e. , by biopsy or autopsy, and that approximately one-quarter of unexpected findings, or 5% of all findings, are major and can similarly only be diagnosed from tissue. One study found that (out of 694 diagnoses) "Autopsies revealed 171 missed diagnoses, including 21 cancers, 12 strokes, 11 myocardial infarctions, 10 pulmonary emboli, and 9 endocarditis, among others". Focusing on intubated patients, one study found "abdominal pathologic conditions – abscesses, bowel perforations, or infarction – were as frequent as pulmonary emboli as
9724-408: The autopsy is the reconstitution of the body such that it can be viewed, if desired, by relatives of the deceased following the procedure. After the examination, the body has an open and empty thoracic cavity with chest flaps open on both sides; the top of the skull is missing, and the skull flaps are pulled over the face and neck. It is unusual to examine the face, arms, hands or legs internally. In
9867-413: The autopsy was "far too sensitive and private" to be publicly released. Subsequent to the autopsy report reading a succession of angry young Aboriginal men spoke to the crowd and encouraged immediate action be taken against the police. Mulrunji's death was repeatedly branded "cold-blooded murder". A riot erupted involving an estimated 400 people, half of them school children. A crowd headed initially for
10010-527: The body is called a diener , the German word for servant . In the UK this role is performed by an Anatomical Pathology Technician (APT), who will also assist the pathologist in eviscerating the body and reconstruction after the autopsy. After the body is received, it is first photographed . The examiner then notes the kind of clothes - if any - and their position on the body before they are removed. Next, any evidence such as residue, flakes of paint, or other material
10153-502: The body is dissected and an internal examination is conducted. Permission from next of kin may be required for internal autopsy in some cases. Once an internal autopsy is complete, the body is reconstituted by sewing it back together. The term "autopsy" derives from the Ancient Greek αὐτοψία autopsia , "to see for oneself", derived from αὐτός ( autos , "oneself") and ὄψις ( opsis , "sight, view"). The word has been in use since around
10296-532: The body, by filling the veins with wax and metals. Until the 20th century, it was thought that the modern autopsy process derived from the anatomists of the Renaissance . Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1682–1771), celebrated as the father of anatomical pathology , wrote the first exhaustive work on pathology, De Sedibus et Causis Morborum per Anatomen Indagatis (The Seats and Causes of Diseases Investigated by Anatomy, 1769). In 1543, Andreas Vesalius conducted
10439-423: The brain is lifted out of the skull for further examination. If the brain needs to be preserved before being inspected, it is contained in a large container of formalin (15 percent solution of formaldehyde gas in buffered water ) for at least two, but preferably four weeks. This not only preserves the brain, but also makes it firmer, allowing easier handling without corrupting the tissue. An important component of
10582-759: The cause of death, but have also led to discoveries of various diseases such as fetal alcohol syndrome, Legionnaire's disease, and even viral hepatitis. Academic autopsies are performed by students of anatomy for the purpose of study, giving medical students and residents firsthand experience viewing anatomy and pathology. Postmortem examinations require the skill to connect anatomic and clinical pathology together since they involve organ systems and interruptions from ante-mortem and post-mortem. These academic autopsies allow for students to practice and develop skills in pathology and become meticulous in later case examinations. Virtual autopsies are performed using radiographic techniques which can be used in post-mortem examinations for
10725-423: The choices proscribed by the fact-finder's jurisdiction and will detail the evidence on the mechanism of the death. Clinical autopsies serve two major purposes. They are performed to gain more insight into pathological processes and determine what factors contributed to a patient's death. For example, material for infectious disease testing can be collected during an autopsy. Autopsies are also performed to ensure
10868-557: The community riot were found to have breached the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 , with a record class action settlement of A$ 30 million awarded to victims in May 2018. Two legal questions arose from the death; firstly, whether the taking into custody of Mulrunji was lawful, and secondly, whether the injuries that led to his death were illegally caused by the arresting officer. Politically, this event raised questions relating to
11011-399: The death. They advised that "The Commission has determined that the evidence would not be capable of proving before any disciplinary tribunal that Senior Sergeant Hurley was responsible for Mulrunji's death". After several days of media and public pressure, Queensland Attorney-General, Kerry Shine , appointed retired Justice Pat Shanahan to review the DPP's decision not to lay charges against
11154-459: The deceased were informed by the Coroner that the death was the result of "an intra-abdominal haemorrhage caused by a ruptured liver and portal vein". Main points from media reports after interviews with residents and relatives stated: Hurley is a white Australian who was also aged 36 at the time of the incident. He had spent the morning investigating complaints by sisters Gladys, Andrea and Anna Nugent that Roy Bramwell had assaulted them. One of
11297-511: The deep split between Leang Panninge and Aboriginal/Papuans. Mallick et al. 2016 and Mark Lipson et al. 2017 study found the bifurcation of Eastern Eurasians and Western Eurasians dates to least 45,000 years ago, with indigenous Australians nested inside the Eastern Eurasian clade. Two genetic studies by Larena et al. 2021 found that Philippines Negrito people split from the common ancestor of Aboriginal Australians and Papuans before
11440-497: The desert-dwelling Pitjantjatjara people compared with a group of European people showed that the cooling adaptation of the Aboriginal group differed from that of the white people, and that they were able to sleep more soundly through a cold desert night. A 2014 Cambridge University study found that a beneficial mutation in two genes which regulate thyroxine , a hormone involved in regulating body metabolism , helps to regulate body temperature in response to fever. The effect of this
11583-450: The effect of "why does he help lock up his own people?". Hurley then reentered the car and talked with Bengaroo briefly. Mulrunji who had walked away, turned and allegedly swore at the police officers. Hurley drove over to Mulrunji and arrested him for creating a public nuisance, after which Mulrunji was taken in the back of the police vehicle for the short trip to the police station. Doomadgee family spokesman, Brad Foster, claimed that after
11726-451: The effort to raise awareness regarding the underfinancing of autopsies. The same sources stated that autopsy rates in Sweden and Finland reach 20 to 30%. In the United States, autopsy rates fell from 17% in 1980 to 14% in 1985 and 11.5% in 1989, although the figures vary notably from county to county. The body is received at a medical examiner's office, municipal mortuary, or hospital in
11869-438: The end of the autopsy. At this stage, the organs are exposed. Usually, the organs are removed in a systematic fashion. Making a decision as to what order the organs are to be removed will depend highly on the case in question. Organs can be removed in several ways: The first is the en masse technique of Letulle whereby all the organs are removed as one large mass. The second is the en bloc method of Ghon. The most popular in
12012-400: The family but to send in 18 extra police from Townsville who "strut around this community, looking intimidating". For the following week public meetings were held on the Island due to anger rising in the community about the death. On Friday 26 November 2004 the results of the autopsy report were read to a public meeting by then Palm Island Council Chairwoman Erykah Kyle. The autopsy report
12155-616: The findings of the Royal Commission. Largely supporting this conclusion was that Hurley had considered it necessary to raise similar concerns only a year prior to Mulrunji's death to the Federal Parliamentary Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. In his submissions to the Committee, Hurley pointed out the lack of an alcohol diversionary centre on Palm Island. He complained "If we attend
12298-406: The first business day after the riot. The Palm Islanders faced charges of riot, arson and assault. The Magistrate determined that due to the " state of emergency " it would be too dangerous to allow the defendants to return to Palm Island, therefore bail was not considered. On 1 December 2004 three more rioters were arrested, all women: a 65-year-old grandmother, her daughter, and the daughter of
12441-418: The first civilizations to practice the removal and examination of the internal organs of humans in the religious practice of mummification . Autopsies that opened the body to determine the cause of death were attested at least in the early third millennium BCE, although they were opposed in many ancient societies where it was believed that the outward disfigurement of dead persons prevented them from entering
12584-765: The flown in police contingent was the tactical response group who wore riot shields, balaclavas and helmets with face-masks, Glock pistol at the hip and a shotgun or semi-automatic rifle in their right hand. They converted the Bwgcolman Community School into a headquarters and sleeping barracks, and the St Michael's school bus was commandeered. During the weekend the tactical response group searched many homes. Children witnessed their parents being arrested and taken to Townsville for committing crimes such as public drunkenness and common assault. Premier Peter Beattie visited Palm Island on Sunday 28 November, producing
12727-404: The following information is desired: For example, a forensic autopsy is carried out when the cause of death may be a criminal matter, while a clinical or academic autopsy is performed to find the medical cause of death and is used in cases of unknown or uncertain death, or for research purposes. Autopsies can be further classified into cases where an external examination suffices, and those where
12870-438: The handing down of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. An autopsy report by Coroner Michael Barnes was produced for the family one week after the death. It stated that Mulrunji had suffered four broken ribs, which had ruptured his liver and spleen, it also found that the body's blood alcohol content was 0.29 from a cocktail of alcohol including methylated spirits mixed with sweet cordial . The family of
13013-694: The haplogroup C chromosomes. They found a divergence time of about 54,100 years between the Sahul C chromosome and its closest relative C5, as well as about 54,300 years between haplogroups K*/M and their closest haplogroups R and Q. The deep divergence time of 50,000-plus years with the South Asian chromosome and "the fact that the Aboriginal Australian Cs share a more recent common ancestor with Papuan Cs" excludes any recent genetic contact. The 2016 study's authors concluded that, although this does not disprove
13156-401: The idea of ancient Aboriginal isolation. Genetic data extracted in 2011 by Morten Rasmussen et al., who took a DNA sample from an early-20th-century lock of an Aboriginal person's hair, found that the Aboriginal ancestors probably migrated through South Asia and Maritime Southeast Asia , into Australia, where they stayed. As a result, outside of Africa, the Aboriginal peoples have occupied
13299-653: The increased suicide rate, many researchers have suggested that the inclusion of more cultural aspects into suicide prevention programs would help to combat mental health issues within the community. Past studies have found that many indigenous leaders and community members, do in fact, want more culturally-aware health care programs. Similarly, culturally-relative programs targeting indigenous youth have actively challenged suicide ideation among younger indigenous populations, with many social and emotional wellbeing programs using cultural information to provide coping mechanisms and improving mental health. The outstation movement of
13442-506: The indigenous populations of Borneo and Malaysia , sharing drift with them than compared to the groups from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. This indicates that populations in Australia were isolated for a long time from the rest of Southeast Asia. They remained untouched by migrations and population expansions into that area, which can be explained by the Wallace line . In a 2001 study, blood samples were collected from some Warlpiri people in
13585-566: The islands of Tasmania , K'gari (previously Fraser Island) , Hinchinbrook Island , the Tiwi Islands , Kangaroo Island and Groote Eylandt . Indigenous people of the Torres Strait Islands, however, are not Aboriginal. In the 2021 census , people who self-identified on the census form as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin totalled 812,728 out of a total of 25,422,788 Australians, equating to 3.2% of Australia's population and an increase of 163,557 people, or 25.2%, since
13728-450: The land was inundated at the start of the Holocene , the inter-glacial period that started about 11,700 years ago. Scholars of this ancient history believe that it would have been difficult for Aboriginal people to have originated purely from mainland Asia. Not enough people would have migrated to Australia and surrounding islands to fulfill the beginning of the size of the population seen in
13871-406: The last 10,000 years it may have occurred—newer analytical techniques have the potential to address such questions. Bergstrom's 2018 doctoral thesis looking at the population of Sahul suggests that other than relatively recent admixture, the populations of the region appear to have been genetically independent from the rest of the world since their divergence about 50,000 years ago. He writes "There
14014-518: The latter two diverged from each other, but after their common ancestor diverged from the ancestor of East Asian peoples . The dingo reached Australia about 4,000 years ago. Near that time, there were changes in language (with the Pama-Nyungan language family spreading over most of the mainland), and in stone tool technology. Smaller tools were used. Human contact has thus been inferred, and genetic data of two kinds have been proposed to support
14157-496: The likely migration routes of the peoples as they moved across the Australian continent to its southern reaches and what is now Tasmania , then part of the mainland. The modelling is based on data from archaeologists , anthropologists , ecologists , geneticists , climatologists , geomorphologists , and hydrologists . It is intended to compare this data with the oral histories of Aboriginal peoples, including Dreaming stories, Australian rock art , and linguistic features of
14300-400: The longer the deceased had gone without a meal before death. The body block that was used earlier to elevate the chest cavity is now used to elevate the head. To examine the brain , an incision is made from behind one ear, over the crown of the head, to a point behind the other ear. When the autopsy is completed, the incision can be neatly sewn up and is not noticed when the head is resting on
14443-423: The many Aboriginal languages which reveal how the peoples developed separately. The routes, dubbed "superhighways" by the authors, are similar to current highways and stock routes in Australia. Lynette Russell of Monash University believes that the new model is a starting point for collaboration with Aboriginal people to help reveal their history. The new models suggest that the first people may have landed in
14586-495: The men had been put into the cells, fifteen minutes lapsed before a seven-second check was done on the inmates. Forty-two minutes later a second police officer observed that Mulrunji was a strange colour and was cold to the touch. The officer could not find a pulse. When alerted to this, Hurley came into the cell and thought he could detect a pulse. According to statements an ambulance was then called taking fifteen minutes to arrive. During this time no attempts were made to resuscitate
14729-403: The micro-level (tribe, clan, etc.), and others on shared languages and cultural practices spread over large regions defined by ecological factors. Anthropologists have encountered many difficulties in trying to define what constitutes an Aboriginal people/community/group/tribe, let alone naming them. Knowledge of pre-colonial Aboriginal cultures and societal groupings is still largely dependent on
14872-490: The number of autopsies performed in hospitals has been decreasing every year since 1955. Critics, including pathologist and former JAMA editor George D. Lundberg , have charged that the reduction in autopsies is negatively affecting the care delivered in hospitals, because when mistakes result in death, they are often not investigated and lessons, therefore, remain unlearned. When a person has permitted an autopsy in advance of their death, autopsies may also be carried out for
15015-411: The observers' interpretations, which were filtered through colonial ways of viewing societies. Some Aboriginal peoples identify as one of several saltwater, freshwater, rainforest or desert peoples . The term Aboriginal Australians includes many distinct peoples who have developed across Australia for over 50,000 years. These peoples have a broadly shared, though complex, genetic history, but it
15158-418: The oldest continuous cultures in the world, although this is disputed. At the time of European colonisation of Australia, the Aboriginal people consisted of complex cultural societies with more than 250 languages and varying degrees of technology and settlements. Languages (or dialects) and language-associated groups of people are connected with stretches of territory known as "Country", with which they have
15301-633: The oldest living populations in the world, certainly the oldest outside of Africa." Their ancestors left the African continent 75,000 years ago. They may have the oldest continuous culture on earth. In Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory , oral histories comprising complex narratives have been passed down by Yolngu people through hundreds of generations. The Aboriginal rock art , dated by modern techniques, shows that their culture has continued from ancient times. The ancestors of present-day Aboriginal Australian people migrated from Southeast Asia by sea during
15444-474: The original 250–400 Aboriginal languages (more than 250 languages and about 800 dialectal varieties on the continent) are endangered or extinct, although some efforts are being made at language revival for some. As of 2016, only 13 traditional Indigenous languages were still being acquired by children, and about another 100 spoken by older generations only. Dispersing across the Australian continent over time,
15587-420: The other studies had utilised complete Y chromosome sequencing, which has the highest precision. For example, use of a ten Y STRs method has been shown to massively underestimate divergence times. Gene flow across the island-dotted 150-kilometre-wide (93 mi) Torres Strait, is both geographically plausible and demonstrated by the data, although at this point it could not be determined from this study when within
15730-518: The police officer. Shanahan resigned after it was revealed he had sat on the panel that originally appointed Clare as DPP in 1999. Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales , Sir Laurence Street , was selected to review the decision not to charge Hurley over the death of Mulrunji. The review resulted in the overturning of the DPP's decision, with Street finding there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Hurley with manslaughter . This
15873-435: The police station. The local courthouse, police station, Hurley's home and the police barracks were burned down. Eighteen local police had to repeatedly retreat; firstly receding from the station to the residential barracks, then when the barracks were also set alight they (and their families) withdrew to the hospital and barricaded themselves in. Cars and machinery were driven onto the runway, blocking all aircraft movement. Even
16016-440: The presence of any Holocene gene flow or non-genetic influences from South Asia at that time, and the appearance of the dingo does provide strong evidence for external contacts, the evidence overall is consistent with a complete lack of gene flow, and points to indigenous origins for the technological and linguistic changes. They attributed the disparity between their results and previous findings to improvements in technology; none of
16159-414: The previous census in 2016. Reasons for the increase were broadly as follows: Most Aboriginal people speak English, with Aboriginal phrases and words being added to create Australian Aboriginal English (which also has a tangible influence of Aboriginal languages in the phonology and grammatical structure ). Some Aboriginal people, especially those living in remote areas, are multi-lingual. Many of
16302-420: The prisoner, although the autopsy found that there would have been no chance of saving him. The videotape footage from the cell shows Hurley checking for breathing and pulse then "sliding down the wall of the cell until he sat with his face in his hands". When Mulrunji's sister brought lunch for him to the front section of the police station, she was not informed of events and was told to leave. The family and
16445-510: The process; however medical evidence and evidence given by police officers was to be taken in open court in Townsville due to logistical issues and safety concerns of the police. The inquiry would begin on 28 February 2005. Barnes was assisted by two senior counsel . The directions hearing was held in a marquee , because there were no premises on the island large enough for the expected audience. 16 barristers and solicitors appeared representing
16588-409: The pull of gravity is producing the only blood pressure at this point, related directly to the complete lack of cardiac functionality. However, in certain cases, there is anecdotal evidence that bleeding can be quite profuse, especially in cases of drowning . At this point, shears are used to open the chest cavity. The examiner uses the tool to cut through the ribs on the costal cartilage, to allow
16731-422: The purposes of teaching or medical research. An autopsy is usually performed in cases of sudden death, where a doctor is not able to write a death certificate, or when death is believed to result from an unnatural cause . These examinations are performed under a legal authority ( medical examiner , coroner , or procurator fiscal ) and do not require the consent of relatives of the deceased. The most extreme example
16874-471: The questions pertaining to an autopsy without putting the examiner at risk of biohazardous materials that can be in an individual's body. In 2004 in England and Wales, there were 514,000 deaths, of which 225,500 were referred to the coroner . Of those, 115,800 (22.5% of all deaths) resulted in post-mortem examinations and there were 28,300 inquests , 570 with a jury. The rate of consented (hospital) autopsy in
17017-487: The remaining land bridge was impassable. This isolation makes the Aboriginal people the world's oldest culture. The study also found evidence of an unknown hominin group, distantly related to Denisovans, with whom the Aboriginal and Papuan ancestors must have interbred, leaving a trace of about 4% in most Aboriginal Australians' genome. There is, however, increased genetic diversity among Aboriginal Australians based on geographical distribution. Carlhoff et al. 2021 analysed
17160-539: The riot itself and secondly the police did not have extended search and detain powers under the Act that they had relied upon. A total of 28 Indigenous Australians were arrested and charged with offences ranging from arson to riotous behaviour in the weeks following the riot. Initially 13 Palm Islanders were arrested and charged. They appeared before the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday 29 November 2004,
17303-407: The riot occurred during the school lunch break, it was witnessed by many children. As a way of helping them understand and cope with the on-going trauma they had experienced, children were later encouraged to express themselves through art, one of the resulting pieces was titled "We saw the police station burn. I want people to have love". Numerous police officers were flown into Palm Island following
17446-417: The riot. Police officers in riot gear , wearing balaclavas , with no identification and carrying large guns, marched into the community, conducting early-morning raids. Residents report officers pointing guns at children's heads and being tasered . A resident and his partner were later awarded A$ 235,000 in compensation for assault, battery and false imprisonment . Police actions were later found to breach
17589-406: The same territory continuously longer than any other human populations. These findings suggest that modern Aboriginal Australians are the direct descendants of the eastern wave, who left Africa up to 75,000 years ago. This finding is compatible with earlier archaeological finds of human remains near Lake Mungo that date to approximately 40,000 years ago. The idea of the "oldest continuous culture"
17732-493: The sciences to answer questions of interest to the legal system. Medical examiners attempt to determine the time of death, the exact cause of death, and what, if anything, preceded the death, such as a struggle. A forensic autopsy may include obtaining biological specimens from the deceased for toxicological testing, including stomach contents. Toxicology tests may reveal the presence of one or more chemical "poisons" (all chemicals, in sufficient quantities , can be classified as
17875-490: The second stab wound Caesar received was the fatal one. Julius Caesar had been stabbed a total of 23 times. By around 150 BCE, ancient Roman legal practice had established clear parameters for autopsies. The greatest ancient anatomist was Galen (CE 129– c. 216 ), whose findings would not be challenged until the Renaissance over a thousand years later. Ibn Tufail has elaborated on autopsy in his treatise called Hayy ibn Yaqzan and Nadia Maftouni , discussing
18018-515: The sisters needed to be airlifted to Townsville Hospital due to her condition as a result of Bramwell's assault. Gladys requested that Hurley accompany her so that she could safely get medication from Bramwell's house. Hurley drove her to the house in the police vehicle. While Gladys retrieved her medication, Patrick Bramwell was outside. He appeared intoxicated and was swearing at the police. His grandmother complained to Hurley, who then arrested him. Meanwhile Mulrunji taunted Bengaroo with words to
18161-485: The skull cap is sewed back in place. Then the body may be wrapped in a shroud , and it is common for relatives to not be able to tell the procedure has been done when the body is viewed in a funeral parlor after embalming . An autopsy of stroke may be able to establish the time taken from the onset of cerebral infarction to the time of death. Various microscopic findings are present at times from infarction as follows: Around 3000 BCE, ancient Egyptians were one of
18304-526: The smaller offshore islands and Tasmania when the land was inundated at the start of the Holocene inter-glacial period , about 11,700 years ago. Despite this, Aboriginal people maintained extensive networks within the continent and certain groups maintained relationships with Torres Strait Islanders and the Makassar people of modern-day Indonesia. Aboriginal Australians have a wide variety of cultural practices and beliefs that some scientists believe make up
18447-514: The standard of care at hospitals. Autopsies can yield insight into how patient deaths can be prevented in the future. Within the United Kingdom, clinical autopsies can be carried out only with the consent of the family of the deceased person, as opposed to a medico-legal autopsy instructed by a Coroner (England & Wales) or Procurator Fiscal (Scotland), to which the family cannot object. Over time, autopsies have not only been able to determine
18590-518: The state coroner were informed of the death at about 3pm that afternoon. Police began taking statements from witnesses. Procedures for taking of statements from illiterate Aboriginal people were not followed, including the requirement to have a representative present who understands the process (preferably a legal representation). The Doomadgee family later stated that the Queensland Government 's response had not been to provide counselling for
18733-426: The sternum to be removed; this is done so that the heart and lungs can be seen in situ and that the heart – in particular, the pericardial sac – is not damaged or disturbed from opening. A PM 40 knife is used to remove the sternum from the soft tissue that attaches it to the mediastinum. Now the lungs and the heart are exposed. The sternum is set aside and will eventually be replaced at
18876-572: The story of creation known as The Dreamtime . Additionally, traditional healers were also custodians of important Dreaming stories as well as their medical roles (for example the Ngangkari in the Western desert ). Some core structures and themes are shared across the continent with details and additional elements varying between language and cultural groups. For example, in The Dreamtime of most regions,
19019-520: The subject in an extensive article, believes him to be among the early supporters of autopsy and vivisection . The dissection of human remains for medical or scientific reasons continued to be practiced irregularly after the Romans, for instance by the Arab physicians Avenzoar and Ibn al-Nafis . In Europe they were done with enough regularity to become skilled, as early as 1200, and successful efforts to preserve
19162-409: The term Aboriginal has changed over time and place, with the importance of family lineage, self-identification and community acceptance all being of varying importance. The term Indigenous Australians refers to Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the term is conventionally only used when both groups are included in the topic being addressed, or by self-identification by
19305-465: The various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands . Humans first migrated to Australia at least 65,000 years ago, and over time formed as many as 500 language-based groups . In the past, Aboriginal people lived over large sections of the continental shelf . They were isolated on many of
19448-469: The weight of the evidence..", so upholding Hurley's appeal, requiring a new coronial inquiry and outraging local Aboriginal people who feared this would "..only dig up buried bones..". In May 2009, Mulrunji's family's lawyers commenced proceeding in the Queensland Supreme Court , attempting to have Judge Pack's decision ruled invalid. Aboriginal Australian Aboriginal Australians are
19591-517: The wider Australian community. Due to the aforementioned disadvantage, Aboriginal Australian communities experience a higher rate of suicide, as compared to non-indigenous communities. These issues stem from a variety of different causes unique to indigenous communities, such as historical trauma, socioeconomic disadvantage, and decreased access to education and health care. Also, this problem largely affects indigenous youth, as many indigenous youth may feel disconnected from their culture. To combat
19734-425: Was considered. It was reasoned that if they stayed in a different community in Townsville there was a low likelihood of re-offending. Four people were prosecuted for the riot and were acquitted. Lex Wotton was warned by a Brisbane court in 2006 to comply with the original conditions of bail, to discontinue his public appearances at rallies and marches. Wotton initially pleaded guilty to the charge of rioting, and
19877-462: Was found guilty at trial. After others were acquitted, he successfully challenged the legal proceedings and withdrew his guilty plea in May 2007. Mulrunji's Family had suspicions about the results of the first autopsy by the Queensland government pathologist. They delayed Mulrunji's funeral and insisted that the Coroner order a second "independent autopsy" to be observed by a pathologist on behalf of
20020-500: Was medical and did not state what caused his death. It did list possible causes which included that the multiple injuries sustained could have been consistent with him falling off a concrete step at the Palm Island watchhouse. The injury may have been caused by Hurley falling on the deceased. The deceased was 181 cm tall and weighed 74 kilograms. Hurley was 201 cm tall and weighed 115 kilograms. The Coroner later stated that
20163-554: Was the back section of the Palm Island Police Station. Fellow Palm Islander Patrick Bramwell was placed in the adjoining cell. The arresting officer, Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, and the Indigenous police liaison officer , Lloyd Bengaroo, were flown off the island the following Monday, after receiving death threats and Hurley's house being burned down. This was the 147th death of an Aboriginal person in custody since
20306-835: Was the first time since the public prosecutor's office was established in Queensland that anyone other than the DPP made a decision concerning whether or not to indict an individual. In June 2007 the Townsville-based trial of Chris Hurley on charges of assault and manslaughter took place. Hurley was found not guilty after medical evidence was given which discredited claims by other witnesses of an assault by Hurley upon Doomadgee. Public funded investigation and prosecution alone cost at least A$ 7 million. In September 2008, Hurley's lawyers appealed Coroner Clements' findings (September 2006) that he had killed Mulrunji with three fatal punches. On 17 December 2008 District Court Judge Bob Pack, in Townsville, ruled that Clements' finding "..was against
20449-414: Was the officer who made the final determination that the complaints were unsubstantiated. Lawyers for both the Doomadgee family and Hurley asked that the Coroner disqualify himself (although for different reasons). The Coroner subsequently disqualified himself, and Deputy State Coroner Christine Clements flew to Townsville and took over. She decided that the inquest would start afresh on 29 March 2005, with
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