The Dubbo inquest into a police shooting in Collarenebri has been asked why officers on the scene of the shooting did not retreat and attempt to negotiate with a man who was tasered and doused in capsicum spray multiple times before two shots were fired.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mark Mason died on November 11, 2010 in the bedroom of a house in Barwon St, Collarenebri.
Earlier in the day the 33-year-old allegedly wielded a knife during a domestic incident and had allegedly rammed into a police car during a 1.3km police pursuit.
Mr Mason allegedly fled from the accident scene on foot.
Two injured police officers were taken to hospital.
Police from nearby areas were called to assist the limited number of police available at Collarenebri.
Deputy State Coroner Magistrate Scott Mitchell last Thursday criticised "an apparent lack of planning" before police entered a Barwon Street house to search for Mr Mason.
"Would it not have been a good idea (for police) to contact members of Mr Mason's family or Aboriginal elders?'' Magistrate Mitchell asked Sergeant Craig Norton who was being cross-examined after giving evidence.
"Would it have been good to have reduced the tension and calmed Mr Mason down?''
Sgt Norton told the court the police handbook clearly stated family members and third parties were not to be used in negotiations because they could possibly inflame the situation and place themselves and others in danger.
Magistrate Mitchell said the police handbook "may do with some revision''.
Evidence was later presented from Inspector Peter Hayes of Deniliquin who had been a detective sergeant at Walgett at the time of the November 11, 2010 shooting.
As he entered the Barwon Street house Inspector Hayes could see other officers with Mr Mason. A taser was cycling and capsicum spray had been used.
After the shooting Inspector Hayes rolled Mr Mason into a recovery position, handcuffed him and checked for a pulse.
The inquest heard Mr Mason continued to resist police.
Inspector Hayes picked up a pillow from the corner of the bedroom and applied pressure to Mr Mason's wounds.
Resuscitation was performed and timber was placed under Mr Mason's back to provide purchase as cardiac compression was applied. Mr Mason died at the scene.
When court resumed last Friday, attempts to view freeze-frame Taser camera images the shooting were aborted.
Ray Hood, the barrister representing the NSW Police Force, started to show the freeze-frame images during cross-examination of Inspector Andrew Spliet, the Walgett-based duty officer in charge when Mr Mason was shot.
Magistrate Mitchell stopped the use of the laptop because the footage was not available to all legal practitioners and could not be seen by everyone in the court room.
It was decided to suspend the cross-examination of Inspector Spliet until the next inquest session, scheduled to be held on October 3, 4 and 5.
Plans to hear evidence from Senior Constable Michael Bobako, the officer who fired the fatal shots, were also suspended because the freeze-frame Taser camera images could not be used.
Magistrate Mitchell apologised to members of Mr Mason's family who had sat in the public gallery each day wearing "Justice for Mark" T-shirts and jackets.
"I am sorry we have not been able to finish this week,'' he said.
