Apparently there is some evidence that has not been released to the public, and I believe was not able to be presented in court. Does the film cover these issues - or even the fact that there was crucial evidence omitted?

It is so wrong that the police who botched the investigation get off. The police union has not covered themselves in glory over Mulrunji's death and their questionable means of defending their member Hurley.

Hurley's past exploits are discussed by people in Townsville who knew him when he was in another Aboriginal community and paint a picture of an arrogant bully.

When Lex Wooton, who had been jailed for the Palm Island riot, spoke at a Townsville conference he told of Chris Hurley threatening him with another death in custody when Lex went to try to circumvent a possible riot as people were seeking more information on Mulrunji's death. Apparently, Lex Wooton had proof that he was at work at the time of the riot - this evidence was misplaced or lost by the police.

Mulrunji Doomagee's death whilst in police custody (Chris Hurley's custody to be precise) and the subsequent investigation and events have heightened the level of mistrust of police and the likelihood of justice for Indigenous Australians.

The acquittal of Hurley by an 'all white' jury in Townsville is in itself unconvincing. The jury was hardly representative of the community and it would have been almost impossible to find anyone without a preformed view on the case. Sadly Townsville has a strong racist undertone.

The Tall Man purports to be about Palm Island, but, curiously, is named after the man Aboriginal people believe is responsible for the death of Mulrunji Doomadgee. By comparison, Joanne Watson's book, Palm Island (Aboriginal Studies Press) uses a wide range of sources, was researched over a long period and provides an historical context. It's an astringent antidote to the PR of the Queensland government and Police union, as well as the lazy reporting on anything to do with Palm Island by most sections of the media. This was not the first death in police custody on Palm Island: Henry Pitt died in 1961.

aka

The film mentions that some potentially crucial witnesses were not called by the prosecution. The issues you raise are touched on in both the book and the film.

samschwarz

Haven't read Through a long lens but after listening to Joanne Watson's ABC radio interview (http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2010/03/palm-island-through-a-long-lens-joanne-watson.html) certainly will do.