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June 21st, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda An Aboriginal man who died in police custody had been bashed by officers in the weeks before his death and was fearful of them, an inquest into his death has been told.
On Thursday the aunt of Kwementyaye Briscoe, who died at the Alice Springs watch house on January 4, spoke in court about the death.
“He had been attacked by two police offices in the company of his girlfriend,” Patricia Morton-Thomas said.
“If he ran on the night he died I would suggest it was because he was afraid.”
Ms Morton-Thomas said things needed to change in Alice Springs, with every single member of her family experiencing police persecution in the past.
The death of Mr Briscoe made headlines after some people arrested with him said police roughed him up while in custody on the night he died.
The inquest has previously heard that police made serious errors on the night he died, including admitting him to the watch house while he was unable to answer basic health questions, dragging him to the cells because he was unable to walk, and ignoring calls from other prisoners to help him.
One officer who was supposed to be helping care for Mr Briscoe listened to an iPod and surfed the internet instead of checking his welfare.
On Thursday the inquest also heard from some of the Northern Territory’s most senior police, who admitted that earlier recommendations made by Coroner Greg Cavanagh relating to deaths in custody had only been implemented for a while, before being abandoned in practice.
Those recommendations included that a senior officer be present in watch houses and that prisoners be given medical care if they were unable to answer questions.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Payne said things had been tightened since Mr Briscoe’s death.
Police now underwent far more rigorous training, posters displayed in lock-ups gave information on prisoner care, and a nurse was rostered on to help with the medical needs of prisoners, he said.
“We extend out sincere condolences to you,” Mr Payne told the family of Mr Briscoe in court.
“We recognise the pain that it causes you,” he said.
Commander Michael Murphy told the court it was unacceptable that Mr Briscoe had been admitted as fit for the watch house when he could not answer a single question on his condition.
“It is actually a catastrophic outcome,” Mr Murphy said.
Mr Cavanagh said he hoped police would keep their promise to continue to implement the changes.
“I never want to do this again and see people dragged along by their limbs on a concrete floor,” he said.
The inquest is continuing.
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