Aboriginal Law Bulletin --- "Wilcannia Police Acquitted at Trial" [1981] AboriginalLawB 23; (1981) 1(2) Aboriginal Law Bulletin 5

• Wilcannia Police Acquitted At Trial

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Wilcannia Police Acquitted at Trial

In September 1981, Constables Robert Murray and Mark Vaughan of Wilcannia Police were tried at the Broken Hill District Court on charges of having assaulted an Aboriginal man, Mr Colin Harris, at the Wilcannia Police Station on New Year's Eve, 1980. Mr Harris told the court that Constable Vaughan had struck him on the head with a baton and that Constable Murray had kicked him in the head after he had fallen to the ground. It was alleged that Constable Vaughan had later kicked Harris in the stomach. Evidence was given that Mr Harris was a heavy drinker who was prone to aggressive conduct. At the close of the Crown case, Judge Cameron-Smith informed the jury of their right to decline to hear further evidence and to acquit the accused. The jury retired for ten minutes and returned verdicts of not guilty to all charges.

(Sydney Morning Herald 17.9.81)