TOWNSVILLE - A jury has acquitted a Queensland police officer over the death of a man in custody on Palm Island.
Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley had pleaded not guilty in the Townsville Supreme Court to one count each of manslaughter and assault over 36-year-old Mulrunji Doomadgee's death atthe island watchhouse on November 19, 2004.
The jury took just over three hours to deliver their not guilty verdict on both charges.
A week after Mulrunji's death, Palm Islanders rioted and burned down the police station, courthouse and the home of officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Hurley.
In his closing instructions to the jury, Justice Peter Dutney urged the 12-member panel to judge the case against Hurley on its own merits and consider their verdict carefully.
Justice Dutney told the jury: "This trial is not concerned with police in general, it is not concerned with the riots which occurred after Mulrunji's death was published."
Last week, the trial heard Mulrunji died of internal bleeding after his liver was cleaved in two across his spine and his portal vein burst under pressure.
The injuries resulted from the application of what was described to the court as moderate to massive force.
Medical experts testified that the injuries could have occurred as a result of Hurley falling on top of Mulrunji with his knee protruding as they tripped through the doorway of the watchhouse.
Alternatively, the court was told the officer could have intentionally performed a "knee-drop" immediately after the incident.
