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Indigenous Man's Family Call for National Protests Following His Death in Police Custody

The 29-year-old man arrived braindead at an Adelaide hospital on Friday, after a clash with five guards.

The guard tower and rear fence at Yatala Labour Prison, Adelaide. Image via.

A 29-year-old Aboriginal man has died in an Adelaide hospital, following an altercation with five guards while he was being held in remand at South Australia's high-security Yatala prison.

The incident reportedly occurred around 11:30 AM on September 23, when the man—a member of the Pitjantjatjara and Wiradjuriwas nations—was waiting to make a scheduled court appearance via video link. Later in day—a Friday—the man was transferred to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a critical condition, where his sister Latoya Rule alleges two prison officers were stationed by his bed, "watching his body."

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The 29-year-old man passed away early Monday morning. Two of the guards involved in the incident were also hospitalised, but have since been discharged.

Correctional Services Minister Peter Malinauskas had alleged the inmate—who is not being named for cultural reasons—attacked the guards, although the minister did not offer an explanation about what could have motivated the violence.

Ms Rule took to Facebook to reject the state's explanation of the incident. "Some media are saying that my brother, who is only just over 5ft tall, attacked 5 prison officers… my brother was a non-violent fisherman and artist… this is beyond heartbreaking."

She has promised peaceful protests in response to her brother's death, assuring Adelaide's Sunday Mail "there definitely will be national protests—they will be happening."

Department for Correctional Services chief David Brown gave a brief account the clash, explaining, "In the course of the incident, a medical emergency ensued and the correctional staff applied immediate first aid to the prisoner and sought assistance from on-site medical staff."

There's been no word on what kind of medical emergency occurred. Media outlets have suggested the man suffered a cardiac arrest, but David Brown refused to respond to this theory.

The events are now the subject of an investigation led by SA Major Crime and Police Corrections Section detectives. Minister Malinauskas says he's not yet been informed of an exact cause of death. "I have already been advised by the police commissioner that SAPOL are putting substantial resources into this so we do find out exactly what did take place," he told ABC radio earlier today.

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"I, as much as anybody, am very keen to make sure that we do that, so that if people have acted in a way that isn't appropriate, they can be held to account and we can do everything we can to make sure we don't see deaths like this into the future."

It is believed the event was captured on CCTV. However, the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM) fear the evidence may have been tampered with. The group is calling for the Office of Public Integrity to launch an independent investigation into the incident.

ALRM have issued a statement alleging the man was not given medical attention until 9.20pm Friday—almost 10 hours after the fight. ALRM deputy chair Tauto Sansbury told ABC radio he's concerned by the lack of clear information police and the Department of Corrections are releasing to the public.

"This is the same procedure over and over, that the police, that the corrections, they all get their stories right so they can actually cover their backs for another death in custody," he said.

Minister Malinauskas denied any information is being concealed, telling the ABC, "I completely reject any suggestion that somehow there is a conspiracy to cover up or not disclose information here."

A sign Latoya Rule is hanging from her balcony in Adelaide. Image via Facebook.

The man's sister wrote that her brother was "an Aboriginal artist, he loved to paint and weave, he loved playing guitar and spent most of his days outdoors, especially fishing." She also confirmed he has a young daughter, and had not been incarcerated before. She also alleged he was denied access to health care during the six days he'd been held in remand before the incident.

The brother of the deceased man also expressed his disappointment on Facebook, writing, "It's been twenty-five years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, but the situation seem to be getting progressively worse, not better."

Months ago, the Northern Territory chief minister declared "a culture of coverup" in the territory's Corrections system following an explosive Four Corner's report into the abuse of Indigenous children in Don Dale.