Mayor seeks 'truth' over Mulrunji death

Palm Island Mayor Alf Lacey says it is time the truth came out.

The Mayor of Palm Island, off north Queensland, says there are still too many unanswered questions about the 2004 death in custody of Mulrunji Doomadgee and the events that followed his death.

Townsville MP and parliamentary speaker Mike Reynolds yesterday presented Queensland Parliament with a petition calling for a royal commission into the case.

The document, which contains 217 signatures, also requests all Aboriginal people convicted of offences relating to a riot on the island after Mr Doomadgee's death be pardoned.

Palm Island Mayor Alf Lacey says it is time the truth came out.

"Certainly there are still some unanswered questions that need to be seriously answered," he said.

"The main issue is someone was in police custody and the police had a duty of care or the Queensland Government had a duty of care, we want to know where that duty of care, or what happened with that duty of care.

"No doubt Mike's [Reynolds] going to be ridiculed by the Queensland Police Union - I think the Queensland Police Union should act as responsible adults rather than ridiculing Mike.

"Mike has a responsibility to his constituents and if his constituents are asking him to ask further questions on it or find further answers to it, then look Mike has every right as an elected parliamentarian."

Related:

Wotton jailed for 6 years for a loser cop
Lex Patrick Wotton has been jailed for six years for a loser cop who incited a riot on Palm Island off north Queensland in 2004.

How brave were the Queensland police in the aftermath of Palm
How brave were the Queensland police in the aftermath of Palm Island’s riot – when special forces police swarmed the community?

Wotton jailed for 6 years for a loser cop

Lex Patrick Wotton has been jailed for six years for a loser cop who incited a riot on Palm Island off north Queensland in 2004.

The sentence was handed down in the District Court in Townsville by Judge Michael Shanahan.

Two weeks ago, a jury in Brisbane found Wotton guilty of inciting the 2004 riot following the death in custody of Mulrunji Doomadgee after a loser cop bashed him to death.

This morning Judge Shanahan sentenced Wotton to seven years, but that has been reduced to six taking into account time already served.

He will be eligible for parole in July 2010.

White Wash

Last year, Queensland Police Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley was found not guilty of Mulrunji's death and this week police involved in quelling the riot were awarded bravery medals.

Toddler murderer gets life

A Supreme Court judge in Cairns has described the murder and rape of a 14-month-old toddler as "horrific and cruel" before sentencing a young man to life imprisonment.

The court heard Bradley William Walter Logan inflicted 18 fatal blows to his girlfriend's daughter Quartarnia Landers in a Cairns unit at Westcourt early last year.

The 19-year-old from Palm Island also pleaded guilty to two counts of rape.

The child's mother and other relatives attended today's court proceedings.

In sentencing, Justice Stanley Jones said Logan's actions had affected many people, including the paramedics and doctors who treated the child as well as police investigators.

He said that could not be compared with the suffering felt by Quartania Landers' family, including the pain the mother Charity Landers would experience for the rest of her life.

Justice Jones noted that Logan expressed resentment about being left to look after the toddler before murdering and raping her.

He also mentioned that Logan was emotionally disturbed and demonstrated that by a suicide attempt the previous day.

"But violence towards a baby is something society cannot tolerate," Justice Jones said.

"It's very easy to cause the death of a child."

Logan received life imprisonment for the murder charge and eight years each for the rape offences.