Zachary Rolfe acquitted of murder of Kmanjayi Walker

“Today, we’ve seen justice prevail. It was a travesty that Constable Rolfe was charged so quickly and without thorough investigation. We’ll have more to say about that in the coming days. ”

Mr Edwardson wrapped a short statement by saying: “consequences will flow.” The significance and context of these words is still guarded by a suppression order.

Speaking on Friday afternoon, NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said the force would not be offering commentary in light of further scrutiny from the court system.

“To that end, the coronial inquest that is due later this year, will oblige us to maintain our level of respect and not continue, as others have, to proffer opinion and views in the absence of facts, he said.

“We respect the integrity of court processes, inclusive of criminal, inclusive of coronial and inclusive of civil.”

Constable Rolfe showed little emotion as his fate was decided, waiting until the courtroom started to clear before he hugged his parents and supporters. His family was crying. So was Mr McCue.

On the steps of the Supreme Court, more than two dozen of Mr Walker’s family, many of them wailing in grief, said the Kardiya [white] system of justice had failed them.

“I just say, when are we going to get justice? When? ” Mr Hargraves yelled.

“We are the people of Warrmala [warrior ancestors]. Our ancestors were roaming around living in this country. Karrinjarla muwajarri! ”

This is a Warlpiri phrase which, in this context, calls for a police ceasefire.

Mr Williams questioned the make-up of the jury.

“There were no Aboriginal or Yapa people on that jury,” he said. “We felt we were left out. Are we not part of Australia? ”

Kumanjayi, the name granted posthumously for cultural reasons, stabbed Constable Rolfe in the shoulder with a pair of scissors. The officer then fired his Glock pistol three times, 2.6 and .53 seconds apart.

The first was not fatal and accepted by parties as legally justified in the circumstances. It was the second and third shots, fired while Mr Walker wrestled on mattress with another police officer, that the Crown argued were murderous.

Constable Rolfe has said his police partner was similarly getting stabbed. Prosecutor Philip Strickland, SC, said this was a lie.

Mr Walker died from his injuries at the police station about 80 minutes after he was shot, while community members, unaware of his condition, grew angry outside the locked compound.

“He died without his family’s support, even though we stood just outside pleading to come in and see if he was okay,” cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said.

“He was rejected the opportunity to be comforted in his last moments, and we were robbed of the opportunity to say goodbye to him.”

“Sometimes I think about how he felt in his last moments. Was he scared? Terrified I imagine. Was he in pain? Excruciated pain, I would think. And he was alone. His death has affected our community and our family in ways that we can not describe.

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