WTF?
An Aboriginal man who had been speared as a payback and was in police custody for the alleged killing of his seven-month pregnant de facto was driven by police to a "sorry camp", where he was speared seven or eight more times.
Now he’s sorry - as a Catholic, I’m glad we just have confession and saying some Our Fathers and Hail Marys
The claim comes from a source in Blackstone, in Western Australia’s Great Victorian Desert, where Aaron Butler, 26, was arrested by Laverton police last Wednesday and later charged with the murder of his 22-year-old de facto.
(new phrase to me -must be his wife?)
| I think we'd call her a shack-up... |
Her body was found badly burnt near the community area. According to the source, Blackstone Aborigines had speared Mr Butler two or three times in the upper thigh before police arrived, after which Mr Butler went to a house and sat down bleeding. The Aborigines then headed out to the sorry camp - a nearby patch of ground - to sit in family groups and grieve for the dead woman. Police found Mr Butler in the house, arrested him and took him to a doctor who was visiting the community. Mr Butler’s wounds were treated and he was considered fit to be driven back to Kalgoorlie in the police vehicle. But the source claims police drove Mr Butler to the sorry camp.
"Hey! we’re going in the wrong direction"
| "Y'know, Butler, we liked her a lot more'n we like you..." |
He was released from the back of the police patrol vehicle and was immediately run through with one or more spears and then belted around the head.
| "Ow! Oooch! Ouch! Hey! Stop it!" |
Clinic staff had to treat a series of serious wounds, including one that went right through Mr Butler’s leg. Laverton police told a local that Mr Butler had asked to be taken to the sorry camp to say goodbye to his family.
bad move
"How 'bout yez drop me off there, officer? I wants ta say g'bye to my fam'ly."
"Okay. Heh heh..." |
Even if this were true, locals cannot understand how police could have released an arrested man in the presence of grieving family members and the local community. Police said last week they were standing with the man "in the open" when one of his family members "came out of nowhere" to inflict what they said was a second spear wound. They insisted they did not condone the second assault and said the matter was being investigated.
| "I mean, he beat her up and then set fire to her. Who'da thunk the fam'ly'd be cheezed at that?" |
The Australian’s source said the police account of one second spear wound was a dramatic understatement of what really happened. A West Australian police spokesman said yesterday Mr Butler had received only one further wound in their care.
| "But it was a very big one..." |
"They took him out to his family. Police were doing the right thing letting him say goodbye," said the spokesman, who conceded police actions resulted in Mr Butler requiring airlift evacuation.
| "I'm not sure it was the right thing when they tossed him out of the back of the Land Rover at 40 miles an hour, though. I'd have to think about that..." |
Mr Butler is recovering in Royal Perth Hospital.
then going to prison, I would hope |