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NT Police Confirm No Charges in Two Custody Deaths: Kumanjayi White and Kumanjayi Dempsey

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No Charges in Two NT Police Custody Deaths

The Northern Territory Police have confirmed that no criminal charges will be laid in two separate cases of individuals who died in police custody: Kumanjayi White, a 24-year-old Warlpiri man who died in Alice Springs in May 2025, and Kumanjayi Dempsey, a 44-year-old Aboriginal woman who died in Tennant Creek in December 2023. Both matters are subject to coronial inquests.

Kumanjayi White Death in Custody (May 2025)

Incident Details

Kumanjayi White, a 24-year-old Warlpiri man with cognitive disabilities, died on May 27, 2025, while being restrained by two police officers in a Coles supermarket in Alice Springs. Police alleged White was involved in a shoplifting incident and intervened after an altercation with a security guard.

Investigation and Prosecution Decision

The Northern Territory Police conducted an internal investigation. A separate interstate police force conducted an independent use-of-force review. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) reviewed all material, including the external report and legal advice, and determined there were no reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution.

NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole announced that no charges would be laid against the officers involved.

"The exact dynamics of the incident will be explored in the coronial process."
— Commissioner Martin Dole

Official Statements

  • Commissioner Martin Dole stated that both officers remain employed, but no decisions have been made about their reinstatement. He acknowledged the outcome would cause distress for White's family and Aboriginal communities.
  • Leanne Liddle, Deputy Director of Cultural Reform with NT Police, stated that support is being provided to the family.
  • The White family has initiated legal proceedings against NT Police, alleging unlawful apprehension and custody.
  • The family released a statement expressing hopelessness and questioning when justice will be served. They also stated that NT Police traveled to Lajamanu by plane to inform them of the DPP's decision during a mourning period for 5-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby, and they were not given advance notice of the visit.
  • Senator Lidia Thorpe expressed anger and devastation at the lack of accountability, stating that "police investigating police is an error" and noting over 600 Aboriginal deaths in custody since 1991 with no convictions.
  • Federal MP Marion Scrymgour has called for an independent investigation into the death.

Next Steps

A coronial inquest into White's death is pending. A court hearing is scheduled for next month.

Kumanjayi Dempsey Death in Custody (December 2023)

Incident Details

Kumanjayi Dempsey, a 44-year-old Aboriginal woman and long-term Tennant Creek resident, was arrested on Christmas Day 2023 and charged with aggravated assault. She was held in the Tennant Creek watch house.

On December 27, 2023, at 12:34 PM, CCTV footage shows Ms. Dempsey falling to the ground in her cell, four minutes after a routine cell check. She was found unresponsive during the next cell check at 1:03 PM. Officers initiated CPR, and paramedics transported her to the local hospital, where she was declared deceased.

Autopsy Findings and Investigation

A post-mortem examination has listed the cause of death as "undetermined." Further toxicology tests are being conducted.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley stated that current information suggests Ms. Dempsey experienced a medical event while alone in her cell. He noted there were no visible injuries on the woman, and no underlying health conditions were disclosed during her watch house admission assessment. Multiple sources have indicated Ms. Dempsey suffered from rheumatic heart disease.

An internal police investigation is underway, overseen by the Professional Standards Command. The Cultural Reform Command has been deployed to Tennant Creek. A comprehensive brief of evidence, including Ms. Dempsey's medical history and watch house procedures, will be submitted to the Coroner.

Watch House Procedures and Concerns

Unlike watch houses in Darwin and Alice Springs, the Tennant Creek watch house does not employ nursing staff to gather health information from individuals in custody.

Theresa Roe, chairperson for the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), stated that relying solely on police for health information gathering post-arrest is problematic, citing potential barriers including language differences, personal sensitivities, and a lack of trust in police.

"Relying solely on police for health information gathering post-arrest is problematic."
— Theresa Roe, NAAJA

NAAJA has reported recurring complaints regarding inadequate medical care in police watch houses and has called for an independent, health-trained person to speak with every individual taken into custody, as well as an independent investigation into this death.

Official Statements

  • Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley affirmed his confidence in the detectives handling the case and in the existing independent processes for investigating deaths in custody. He extended condolences to Ms. Dempsey's family and friends.
  • O'Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors, representing Ms. Dempsey's family, released a statement expressing concerns regarding "the ongoing inadequacy of the conditions of cells in Tennant Creek Watch House, and Northern Territory detention facilities more broadly."

Next Steps

An inquest is mandated under Northern Territory law for all deaths occurring in custody. The watch house crime scene has been closed as the investigation continues.