Done By Law

DBL: Lex Wotton & Deaths in Custody 11 November 2008

News in Brief: US electoral system, anti-gay proposition 8 in California, and Victorian bar ‘lockout’.

On 7 November 2008, Palm Island Aboriginal man Lex Wotton was sentenced to six years’ jail for “riot with destruction”— just four days after 22 police officers received bravery awards for their role in the 2004 Palm Island protests. Wotton, a 40-year-old plumber and community leader was convicted last month of rioting with destruction for his role in riots on Palm Island a week after Mulrunji Doomadgee died in 2004. Doomadgee died in police custody. A coronial inquest found that Doomadgee was killed as a result of punches by a police officer, Sergeant Hurley. After a nationwide public campaign in which the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions initially refused to lay charges, Hurley was eventually brought to trial over Mulrunji’s death. Hurley was acquitted of manslaughter in three hours by an all white Townsville jury.

Joining us tonight on Done By Law is Kim Bullimore to discuss some of the many issues and injustices raised by Lex Wotton’s case. Kim Bullimore has been a political activist for more than 10 years.  She is a Murri woman from North Queensland and is a long time Indigneous rights and anti-racism activist.  Kim is active in Free Lex Wotton campaign, as well as cross-border Indigenous solidarity campaigning.