Constable at fatal siege influenced by cannabis: [1 Edition]
John Stapleton, Sophie Morris. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 21 Mar 2001: 5.
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Abstract
A SENIOR constable involved in the fatal shooting of a hermit on his NSW property has been suspended after tests showed he was under the influence of cannabis at the time.
A 33-hour siege involving 90 officers began after police tried to serve Hallinan with warrants relating to his use of unregistered cars. The hermit had had a long and hostile relationship with local police.
The NSW Police Service said yesterday the suspended officer had not fired a weapon during the incident. The officer was drug-tested after the fatal shooting on February 24.
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A SENIOR constable involved in the fatal shooting of a hermit on his NSW property has been suspended after tests showed he was under the influence of cannabis at the time.
The shooting of Jimmy Hallinan at his isolated hut outside Tumut has created outrage in the tight-knit Snowy Mountains community.
A 33-hour siege involving 90 officers began after police tried to serve Hallinan with warrants relating to his use of unregistered cars. The hermit had had a long and hostile relationship with local police.
The NSW Police Service said yesterday the suspended officer had not fired a weapon during the incident. The officer was drug-tested after the fatal shooting on February 24.
Former federal attorney-general Kep Enderby, who lives in the area, said he was not surprised at the latest revelations. “It was an outrageous killing and an outrageous abuse of force,” he said.
Retired Arbitration Court judge Jim Staples said the suspended senior constable was simply “the fall guy”.
“The important question is who shot Jim Hallinan, not whether other people may have been on drugs that night. There were three people involved in the shooting of Hallinan. Those officers have not been charged. Police do not have a licence to kill.
“This was an execution. James Hallinan died from a gunshot wound to the back of his head.”
A coroner’s report lists the cause of death as “gunshot wound to the neck”.
The man’s distressed sister Loretta Jamieson said last night: “It’s not right. They shouldn’t be on duty if they have alcohol or drugs in their system. It is outrageous. It is just ridiculous. It should not have happened.
“Hopefully, we can stop this happening to someone else.”
NSW Council for Civil Liberties secretary Joan Lock said it would be more appropriate to drug-test the officers before they went out into the field.
“It was a gross overreaction on the part of the police when they came out to serve a summons,” she said. “The officer should not have been there. When one is under the influence of cannabis, it can lower one’s sense of responsibility.”