Kathy Newnam, Darwin
The re-autopsy of the body of Douglas Scott has found further evidence that the Aboriginal man was tortured and murdered in the Northern Territory's Berrimah prison on July 5, 1985.
Douglas Scott's widow, Letty, has fought for almost 20 years to bring the truth about his death to light. She paid $20,000 to have her deceased husband's body exhumed and for the autopsy, which was carried out by Brazilian forensic expert Jorge Paulete Vanrell.
Vanrell's report states that lesions on the body were "consistent with torture procedures", including a fractured pelvis, probably from kicking. Other injuries included fractures "usually produced by hand strangulation". The report also states that "All lesions present were not inflicted by the victim himself". These findings contradict the findings of the original inquest, which found that Scott committed suicide.
Vanrell's report will be presented as evidence in the civil case beginning on April 11 in the NT Supreme Court where Letty Scott is fighting to quash the findings of the original inquest. She told reporters in Townsville: "It has been a harrowing experience. Everything we have endured, we had to go through on our own. Even when we find the truth, our pain will never change. Even when his murderers are imprisoned, the pain will never leave. Douglas is still gone, it is impossible to take that pain away."
She pointed out that her family had received "no help from the Australian government or Aboriginal legal services. We have been the investigators. We had to pull in scientists from around the world, we had to raise the money for the exhumation. It has been a really harrowing 20 years and I feel sad Australia has left us to do it on our own."
Those in the NT can support her fight for justice by attending the court hearing in the Supreme Court on April 11-18.
On April 19, there will also be a committal hearing in the Darwin Magistrates Court for the charges brought by Letty Scott against seven people for murder and conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Messages of support for her can be sent via <darwin@greenleft.org.au>.
From Green Left Weekly, April 13, 2005.
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