• S/Sgt. Hurley drove the investigators to the scene of Mulrunji’s arrest • investigators ate dinner at S/Sgt. Hurley’s house.8 In addition, she found that S/Sgt. Hurley intentionally caused Mulrunji’s fatal injuries. The Coroner made 40 recommendations, 14 of which were directly related to the quality of the investigation. Virtually all were based on the Commission’s recommendations, with some minor amendments.9 The recommendations also included revising the Queensland Police Operational Procedures Manual to ensure that: • officers investigating deaths in custody should not be from the region where the death occurred • the impartiality, as well as the appearance of impartiality, of the investigation must be considered when assigning officers to investigate deaths in custody • officers involved in an investigation into a death in custody must disclose any relationship with an officer involved in, or a witness to, that death. December 2006 to June 2007: PROCEEDINGS AGAINST S/SGT. HURLEY On 14 December 2006, the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced that S/Sgt. Hurley would not be charged with any criminal offence, due to insufficient evidence. After much public and media pressure, the Government of Queensland asked the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales to review the decision not to charge S/Sgt. Hurley. He found that there was sufficient evidence to lay charges against S/Sgt. Hurley. S/Sgt. Hurley was charged with assault and manslaughter on 5 February 2007. The QPS police union began a public campaign to protest the decision, including raising money for S/ Sgt. Hurley’s defence. The trial took place in June 2007. S/Sgt Hurley was found not guilty by the jury. February 2007: CCTV TO BE INSTALLED IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY WATCH-HOUSES In February 2007 the Queensland Premier agreed to install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in Aboriginal community watch-houses. March 2007 to May 2007: TRIAL OF PALM ISLAND RESIDENTS The trials of Palm Island residents charged with rioting were held between March 2007 and May 2007. One man was convicted of inciting a riot and four men were acquitted of rioting causing destruction. Twelve others had previously pleaded guilty. 8 The second inquest report is available at www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/86642/cif-doomadgee-mulrunji -20060927.pdf. 9 More information is available at www.humanrights.gov.au/news/media-releases/2006-hreoc-media-release-coroner-adopts-allhreoc-s-recommendations-mulrunji. The Mulrunji case | 7