Photographs from the final day of the coronial inquest into Tane Chatfield’s death in custody.
22-year old Gomeroi, Gumbaynggirr and Wakka Wakka man, Tane Chatfield, was found 'unresponsive' in his cell at Tamworth prison in 2017, after 2 years on remand, without being convicted of any charge. Authorities claimed he had hanged himself.
The circumstances around his death was the subject of inquiry at this week’s hearing at the Coroner’s Court in Lidcombe.
In final submissions, Tane Chatfield’s family spoke powerfully about Tane’s life and the need to reform the justice system including ending systemic racism inside Correctional Services. Father, Colin Chatfield, demanded that “the monstrous loophole”, where correctional services investigated their own, must be closed, while Tane’s mother, Nioka, told the court that “the prison system killed my son”. They called for all Aboriginal people on remand to be released.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on remand are over-represented compared to the rest of the population by a factor of 11. The total population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on remand doubled between 2010 and 2016, and has continued to grow.
At least 438 Aboriginal people have died in custody since the final report of the Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody was handed down in 1991.
The findings of this week's inquiry is expected be released on the 26th of August at the Armidale Local Court.
A GofundMe page has been set up to support the Chatfield family.
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