Institute of Advanced Studies
Life and Death on Palm Island: the case of Senior Sergeant Hurley
Date: Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Time: 6pm
Location: Alexander Lecture Theatre, UWA
Cost: Free. No RSVP required.
Enquiries: Email or (+61 8) 6488 1340
In November 2004 Cameron Doomadgee, 36, was arrested for swearing at a police officer and put in the Palm Island watch house.
Within 45 minutes he was dead, with injuries like those of someone who had been in a car crash.
The arresting officer, Senior Sergeant Christopher Hurley, claimed Cameron had tripped over a step. The community disagreed and burnt down the police station, bringing national attention to the story.
A coronial inquiry later held Hurley responsible for the death, but in June 2007, he was found not guilty of manslaughter.
Chloe Hooper's new book The Tall Man: Life and Death on Palm Island recounts this story and she talks about the complexities of a case that attracted widespread community and media attention.
