Craig Hall
A petition was launched by the Indigenous Social Justice Association Melbourne Supporters Group (ISJA MSG) on October 8, calling on the NT government to open a new inquiry into the death of Douglas Bruce Scott in Darwin's Berrimah Prison in 1985.
Scott's widow, Letty Scott, is calling for a new inquiry because of the weight of evidence that her husband did not commit suicide. "We have forensic evidence that supports the view that Doug was murdered. We also have eyewitnesses who say they saw four prison officers enter Doug's cell carrying batons. These witnesses say they heard Doug being beaten and crying out for someone to help him. The eyewitnesses say they were later made to clean blood off the floors and walls of Doug's cell."
Earlier this year, the NT Supreme Court's Justice Angel ruled that while he did not have enough evidence to be satisfied that Scott was murdered, he was also not satisfied that he took his own life. Angel criticised the police investigation into the death as inadequate and noted that the prison officers had ample opportunity to murder the deceased.
Alison Thorne from the ISJA MSG said: "We have had the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody with all of its recommendations — many of which remain unimplemented — and still Indigenous people are over-represented in our prisons and the deaths in custody continue. By getting to the truth about one death in custody we will help stop the ongoing deaths."
Letty wants "justice for all who have suffered, both black and white. I want my husband's killers jailed and compensation paid to my family and all the families who have had loved ones die in police and prison custody."
The petition campaign will culminate at a December 10 International Human Rights Day rally in Melbourne. The petition will then be presented to the NT government in Darwin. For copies, phone (03) 9388 0062 or email <a.thorne@bigpond.com>.
From Green Left Weekly, October 26, 2005.
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