HURLEY’S HISTORY
PALM ISLAND: 2004 Cameron Doomadgee – also known as Mulrunji – died at the Palm Island police watchhouse after Senior Sergeant Hurley arrested him for public drunkenness on the morning of November 19, 2004. The 36-year-old Doomadgee had massive internal injuries, including broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. His liver was almost cleaved in two and the pathologist who conducted the post-mortem examination compared the injuries with those of plane crash victims. The small indigenous community off the coast of Townsville rioted when the autopsy results were revealed leaving the police station in ruins (pictured, above). Hurley was tried for manslaughter three years later, and it was alleged the injuries occurred either as a result of him falling on the man as they tripped through the door of the watchhouse, or an intentional “knee drop” afterwards. A jury rejected the allegations and he was acquitted.
ALLEGED ASSAULT OF LUKE COLE: 2013 Hurley originally claimed to be the victim of a serious roadside assault by a motorist in 2013, but he is now accused of being the aggressor. During a court case a year later, charges against Luke Cole were dismissed after a magistrate found the man was defending himself against an “unlawful assault” by Hurley. The magistrate, Kerry Magee, found that Hurley had “no lawful reason” for grabbing Mr Cole by the throat and pushing him up against a car at the scene of a traffic accident. He was charged over the incident last month.
GOLD COAST POLICE CHASE: 2015
The officer was stood down following a police chase on the Gold Coast on May 17 last year.
It is alleged he fired his gun twice at the car – once while it was driving away – and one of the bullets lodged in the back seat.
All officers involved in the chase, which spanned multiple suburbs from Surfers Paradise to Pacific Pines, allegedly ignored orders to pull out.
It is alleged the driver and passenger in the car had been involved in violent armed robberies.