Deceased
John Ross Jabanardi
Demographics
20y, male
Date of death
1980-07-20
Finding date
1981-12-17
Cause of death
Retro-peritoneal and intra-peritoneal haemorrhage due to perforation of the left internal iliac artery due to a gunshot wound to the abdomen
AI-generated summary
A 20-year-old Aboriginal man died from retroperitoneal and intra-peritoneal haemorrhage caused by perforation of the left internal iliac artery from a gunshot wound to the abdomen, inflicted by Constable Lawrence John Clifford during a police incident on 20 July 1980 at Ti Tree, NT. The constable was charged with murder but acquitted. The coroner extensively criticised the police investigation and forensic examination, identifying numerous deficiencies: failure to follow up assault allegations when first reported, lack of separation of police witnesses before taking statements, discrepancies in accounts of warning shots that were never adequately resolved, inadequate forensic examination (clothing not examined, critical samples not collected), poor coordination between investigating and forensic teams, and questionable police apprehension tactics. The coroner found the investigation fell below required standards despite difficulties inherent in the incident.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Error types
Clinical conditions
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