QUEENSLAND'S police service has branded illegal the leaking of a bombshell report into the Mulrunji Doomadgee death in custody affair, further straining fraught relations with the state's Crime and Misconduct Commission.
Police said last night the partial leaking of findings of a draft CMC report, recommending disciplinary action against some of Queensland's top police, had breached the secrecy provisions of the corruption watchdog.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson is understood to have opposed the publication of the report, due to be released later this month after the handing down of findings from the inquest into Doomadgee's death in the Palm Island watch-house in 2004.
Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley was charged and acquitted in 2007 of Doomadgee's manslaughter.
As revealed by The Australian last year, the CMC has slammed a police culture of "protecting their own" and demanded Mr Atkinson reform the service.
It has also emerged that one of the officers who led the initial death in custody investigation - attacked by Deputy State Coroner Christine Clements in 2006 as "lacking transparency, objectivity and independence" - is likely to escape punishment. Sergeant Darren Robinson, one of four officers from the original investigation who the CMC has recommended face disciplinary action, took stress leave last year and is understood to be seeking retirement on full benefits.
The Australian revealed yesterday the CMC has also recommended two senior officers, handpicked by Mr Atkinson to review the discredited investigation, face disciplinary charges.
A draft CMC report has accused Ethical Standards Command officers of running a biased investigation to protect police.
It is alleged that witnesses were guided in their answers in interviews, with some provided in advance with copies of the questions they were to be asked.
A further allegation is that some key witnesses were not even interviewed by the officers.
The CMC declined to comment yesterday.
Queensland police said they were unable to comment and took a swipe over the leak, adding: "Whilst clearly that has been breached by parties unknown to us, the QPS is still bound by . . . the Crime and Misconduct Act".
Acting Premier Paul Lucas would not comment on the report but offered his support to Mr Atkinson.
