NOTORIOUS CROOKED COPS STILL WORKING IN AUSTRALIA (1)

A cold-case review of one of Western Australia's most controversial murder convictions will today clear a mentally ill man who spent 12 years in jail for a crime he did not commit. The Australian understands that Andrew Mallard, who was convicted of bludgeoning to death Perth jeweller Pamela Lawrence in 1994, will today be publicly exonerated by Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan. The long-awaited review has established that British tourist Simon Rochford, who committed suicide after being questioned by the review team, murdered Ms Lawrence. Rochford killed himself in Albany prison in May where he was serving a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, Brigitta Dickens. Ms Dickens was killed seven weeks after Ms Lawrence's battered body was found in her Mosman Park showrooms. [The usual result of arrogant police fingering the wrong guy] The review is also expected to clear Ms Lawrence's husband, Peter, of any involvement. He could not be contacted for comment last night.

Mallard's conviction sparked serious questions about the integrity of numerous high-profile murder investigations in Western Australia -- including the Claremont serial killings and the mysterious death of Phillip Walsham -- and the administration of justice.....

Five police officers pivotal to the Mallard case, including two assistant commissioners, were stood down during the review. The state's Crime and Corruption Commission is still investigating the original murder inquiry and is now expected to hold public hearings next year. The Australian understands that this will limit what Mr O'Callaghan can reveal today.

Mr Mallard spent almost 12 years in jail before the High Court overturned his conviction in February. Director of Public Prosecutions Robert Cock decided not to proceed with a retrial and Mr Mallard is now seeking substantial compensation from the state. A so-called confession by Mr Mallard was later debunked as a speculative, third-person account of how he thought the murder could have happened. The review team has agreed and pointed the finger squarely at Rochford, whose palm print, using new technology, was lifted and later identified from the murder scene. The five officers stood down have since returned to duties.

Attorney-General Jim McGinty last night said that in light of today's announcement, he would consider Mr Mallard's request for compensation. "I am sympathetic to Andrew Mallard's cause and that is why I originally referred his case to the Court of Appeal, which then resulted in his conviction being overturned," he said. "We also need to allow the Crime and Corruption Commission to complete its investigations so that all the issues in this case can be reviewed."

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NOTORIOUS CROOKED COPS STILL WORKING IN AUSTRALIA (2)



A senior Queensland police officer lost his temper and repeatedly punched a drunk Aboriginal man before putting him in a police cell where he was left to die from his injuries, a coroner has ruled. After two years of investigation into what killed 36-year-old Palm Island man Mulrunji, Acting State Coroner Christine Clements yesterday found the island's top police officer Snr Sgt Christopher Hurley was responsible for the death. She also ruled Hurley was "callous and deficient" in not properly checking on Mulrunji's welfare in the island's watchhouse, where he died from internal bleeding due to a ruptured liver and portal vein at about 11am on November 19, 2004.

Attorney-General Linda Lavarch has referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider whether anyone should face charges. The State Government also has announced a "high-level response team" to advise Cabinet on the 40 recommendations of the report.

In delivering her findings, Ms Clements was scathing of the Queensland Police Service's initial investigation into the death, which she described as "lacking in transparency, objectivity and independence". She said the integrity of the investigation had been compromised by the involvement of local officers, some of whom knew Hurley personally and who dined at his home during the investigation.

The death sparked a violent community backlash and riots on the island during which the police station burnt to the ground. Hurley - a decorated officer credited with reducing crime on the island and helping locals - has vehemently and repeatedly denied he assaulted Mulrunji, who he met for the first time that day. But Ms Clements said she was not convinced Snr Sgt Hurley was telling the truth about events inside the station and accepted a witness account that Snr Sgt Hurley said "Do you want more, Mr Doomadgee, Do you want more?" during the incident.

Mulrunji, who had a blood alcohol content of 0.292 at the time of his death, was arrested for public nuisance after mouthing off at a police liaison officer who was helping Snr Sgt Hurley arrest another man. He resisted arrest and punched Snr Sgt Hurley in the jaw as he was being led from the police van to the watchhouse and the pair fell as they were walking through a doorway.

Ms Clements urged mandatory first aid training for watchhouse staff following evidence that Snr Sgt Hurley was not qualified in first aid and no officer attempted to resuscitate Mulrunji after it was discovered he may have died.

Multiple recommendations were also made to beef up training for officers in the area of watchhouse safety and arrest procedures. Ms Clements also found that Mulrunji's initial arrest by Snr Sgt Hurley was "not an appropriate exercise of police discretion" as he could have been dealt with by a caution or summons to appear in court. It is reprehensible that the detailed recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody should have to be referred to, so many years after the Royal Commission. The evidence is clear however that these recommendations are still apt and still ignored," she said.

Despite the damning findings, Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said there were no grounds to suspend any of the officers named in the report.

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NOTORIOUS CROOKED COPS STILL WORKING IN AUSTRALIA (3)

Even a damning video is not evidence enough to charge the cowardly goons concerned

Police officers pinned a 65-year-old homeless man to the ground, pulled apart his legs and kneed him during an arrest in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall in July, security camera footage shows. Six officers were captured on film huddled around Bruce Rowe, with one policeman kneeing him as he lay on the ground. The footage emerged yesterday in Brisbane Magistrates Court, where Mr Rowe, who has no previous convictions, was facing one charge of failing to move on from a public bathroom and one charge of obstructing police.

In court, Constable Robert Kemper, who arrested Mr Rowe, admitted he had used force, but said he had treated Mr Rowe with "respect and dignity". Defence silk Peter Callaghan rejected the officer's statement.

"Oh come on, a 65-year-old man on the ground underneath four police officers, his head pressed into the concrete, being kicked and kneed. Do you call that respect and dignity?"

The footage was shot at about 9pm on a Sunday, shortly after Mr Rowe began to get dressed in the public toilets. A cleaner asked him to leave, but Mr Rowe refused to depart, arguing that he had a right to use the toilets. The Brisbane City Council cleaner then approached police. After police escorted Mr Rowe out of the toilets, they allege he clenched his fists and was "aggressive and abusive". Constable Kemper then arrested Mr Rowe, saying he gave the man "ample opportunities to leave of his own accord". He later charged Mr Rowe with obstructing police, saying the man had "barged" into him and "thrashed" his legs during the arrest, bruising an officer.

Mr Callaghan argued that Mr Rowe had reason to be in the bathrooms given that he had no home of his own - a fact overlooked by the police officers.

Magistrate John Smith yesterday found Mr Rowe had a case to answer, refusing to dismiss the charges. He will hand down his judgment in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on October 27.

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(And don't forget your ration of Wicked Thoughts for today)