Advertisement

Aboriginal rights group demands inquiry into death of prisoner

A South Australian aboriginal rights group has called for an immediate inquiry into the altercation that took the life of a Yatala prisoner on Friday morning.

Correctional Services on Saturday said there was a violent altercation between a prisoner, Wayne Morrison, and guards on Friday and that the prisoner suffered an unspecified medical emergency while being brought under control.

Morrison was in a critical condition in the Royal Adelaide Hospital on Saturday night but his condition deteriorated over the weekend before corrections minister Peter Malinauskas eventually confirmed his death on Monday morning.

Morrison was due to appear in court via video link on Friday morning when he allegedly lashed out at two guards, before a further three guards stepped into restrain the 29-year-old.

Wayne Morrison, 29, was believed to have suffered a heart attack during an altercation with prison guards. Photo: 7 News

After injuring three officers, including a broken nose and fractured jaw, it is believed Morrison suffered a heart attack and became non-responsive.

The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement have now called into question the immediate care that was provided to Morrison following his “medical episode”, stating that he was not breathing for “some 50 minutes before ambulance officers resuscitated him”.

ALRM chief executive Cheryl Axleby said the family had been left in the dark following the Friday morning altercation.

“I am extremely concerned that I was not advised until 9.20pm of the alleged ‘assault incident’ and of the then later ‘medical incident’ ... some 10 hours after the incident occurring,” she said.

“It is the view of ALRM, that had DCS offered medical assessment/treatment to the inmate at the time of the incident occurring in the morning, (as afforded to their staff), then maybe the inmate may not be in such a critical condition,” she said.

Morrison’s sister, Latoya Rule, took to Facebook following his death saying she does not believe the prison’s recount of the incident.

“No matter what they try to throw at my brother, we stand by him, we know the truth behind everything they will try to say to make him out to be someone he is not,” she stated in a Facebook status.

“Don't believe them... he was due to be released on home detention... you don't get released after 6 days to home detention if they've even got a whimper of reason to investigate further... and they didn't and still don't.”

Morrison's sister has taken to social media to contest the prison's view of the incident. Image: Facebook

The three injured corrections officers have since been discharged, while detectives from major crime are investigating the incident.