Asia-Pacific News
Anger in Australia after Aborigine dies in custody
Jun 13, 2009, 7:41 GMT
Sydney - The family of an Aboriginal elder who died from heatstroke after being transported in a prison van on a hot summer's day said Saturday they would consider taking legal action.
Alastair Hope, the Western Australian coroner, found the 42-year-old man known only as Mr Ward had been 'effectively cooked' to death during the 360-kilometre journey in January.
The temperature in the back of the van, which had faulty central heating, was estimated to have risen to 50 degrees Celsius over the four-hour journey.
The coroner determined the death was avoidable and that the Department of Corrective Services, the company managing the prisoner transfer fleet and the staff who drove the vehicle all contributed to his death.
Ward had been arrested a day earlier for drink driving and was being transported from Laverton to Kalgoorlie for a court appearance.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Asia-Pacific
- 1. Chinese dissidents hail late democracy activist Fang Lizhi
- 2. China "worried" over planned North Korea rocket launch
- 3. Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets Karen rebels
- 4. Chinese schoolboy sells kidney to buy iPad, iPhone
- 5. Myanmar president invites Karen rebels to form party
Older Talkback
