An inquest into the death of an Indigenous man will examine if the Northern Territory police officer who fatally shot him was using drugs.
Kumanjayi Walker, 19, died on November 9, 2019 after Constable Zachary Rolfe, 30, shot him three times during an outback arrest gone wrong.
Rolfe was acquitted at trial in March of murdering Walker – igniting grief and anger in his community, with some decrying the justice system as racist.
They now hope an inquest scheduled for September 5 in Alice Springs will provide an opportunity for their voices to be heard and answers the trial didn’t.
Among the 54 issues released on Thursday that coroner Elisabeth Armitage will probe is whether Const Rolfe was suffering any health issues.
“If Const Rolfe was suffering from a health condition or taking medication, was it appropriate for him to have been selected for and deployed to Yuendumu?” it said.
“Is there evidence that Constable Rolfe used drugs that impacted on his conduct on November 9, 2019?
“What policies and procedures are applicable if a police officer is suspected of using a drug that impacts on conduct?”
The inquest will also explore if there is systemic racism or cultural bias in the NT police force and whether Mr Walker received adequate medical treatment before he died from his injuries on the floor of a police station.
Rolfe’s training for use of force and firearms will also be examined, along with the force’s broader policies and procedures and whether they were complied with when the constable was sent from Alice Springs to the remote community to arrest Mr Walker.
Evidence will also be sought about whether Const Rolfe provided “accurate and honest” information when he applied to the police force, and whether his three team member’s conduct has been the subject of any disciplinary action.
Other issues that will be canvassed will be whether the fairness or efficiency of the police force’s coronial investigation was compromised, and if Mr Walker’s family and community were adequately supported during the process.
Among the parties that will be represented at the inquest are Mr Walker’s family, the Yuendumu community, Const Rolfe, the NT police commissioner and his executive, NT Health and the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency.
