fighting the privatisation of prisons, the imprisonment of women
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Outcry For Justice

If you have the words
"To thine own self be true"
written in your heart
then please switch on and read on.... thank you.

My name is Letty Marie Scott. I am an Aboriginal woman of the Anmatyerre people from Central Australia. I have been engaged in a struggle for justice for more than thirteen years against the govermemnt of the Northern Territory of Australia. My late husband, Douglas Bruce Scott was unlawfully incarcerated in Darwin prison on remand for 61 days, (without his consent), tortured and murdered by prison officers employed by the government of the Northern Territory of Australia.

The remand warrant that was used as the order of incarceration, alleged that my late husband had committed the offence of swearing in a public place. He was remanded to Darwin prison from 31st May 1985 to 29th July 1985. He did not live that long. He was found hanging in his cell on the morning of Friday 5th July 1985. Whilst in custody prior to his death, he was threatened by prison officers of their intention to kill him. He was bashed by prison officers prior to his murder. One of the episodes of beatings by prison officers resulted in a powerful blow to the head which severely damaged Douglas's eye to the extent that his eye was pointing in the wrong direction, swollen and on the verge of falling out of its socket (this is documented).

There is photographic evidence to prove that my late husband was hung twice.

There is evidence from the eyewitnesses which reveals that:

• Four prison officers armed with PR24 batons unlocked and entered his cell in the early hours of the morning of Friday 5th July 1985.
• The other prisoners heard my husband calling out for help and they heard beating noises coming from his cell.
• An eyewitness situated in the cell directly opposite the deceased's cell called out to prison officers and say "Hey you white cunts, that's my mate, leave my mate alone".
• One of the prison officers came out from my husband's cell and attended the eyewitness's cell. The prison officer threatened the prisoner to shut up "or you will be next". The officer then returned to my husband's cell and continued with his colleagues in their attacks on Douglas.
• After some time the cries for help stopped and the prison officers locked the cell and left the block.
• Shortly after 6am on the morning of Friday 5th July 1985, two prison officers attended my husband's cell, unlocked the door, opened it and entered the cell.
• My husband's dead body was hanging by the neck with a white tightly twisted sheet fastened around his neck with multiple slip knots.
• His head was close to the ceiling.
• There was thick blood on his face situated in the area from directly below the nostrils to the chin.
• Two prisoners were detailed to clean up the cell.
• They found a lot of blood on the walls, blood on the floor, blood on the mattress, sheet and pillow, blood in the toilet and blood around the toilet.
• On the photgraphic evidence it shows that Douglas had cotton wool stuck in his ears to cover up the haemorrhaging that occurred after the brutal beatings and murder of Douglas Bruce Scott.

The Northern Territory prison officers held Douglas unlawfully in custody for sixty days before murdering him.

The police, prison and Royal Commission covered up the murder. I, Letty Scott have been fighting for thirteen years to expose that the numerous "Death in Custody" cases in Australia, of which some happen in police custody and some in prison custody, are in many cases an outcry of brutal violation against human rights. Nearly 60 million dollars of taxpayers money has been used to cover up the brutal murders of Aboriginals all over this country. Various state and federal governments have tried to smooth over the truth about Aboriginal "Deaths in Custody" in Australia.

My legal representation flew to Darwin in the Northern Territory to submit a statement of claim for "unlawful incarceration of 61 days and murder" on the 25th of September 1998.

After the issue of this statement of claim for murder and unlawful imprisonment, to the government of the Northern Territory, I received a summons to appear in the Darwin Supreme court,. I was given 48 hours to prepare myself to appear in court on the morning of the 26th of November 1998 at 9.30AM to face proceedings of judgement against me to pay damages to the Northern Territory Government incurred over the last thirteen years of fighting for justice!

I am outraged that after all the suffering my family had to go through and is still going through, I, Letty Scott, could be facing a long jail sentence as I have no money to pay up.

My family and I have suffered immensely, the trauma has caused irreparable damage to my children, they struggle to cope with daily life. We have been harassed, followed, slandered and have faced extensive racist behaviour towards us. We have been alienated and are fearful of our lives, we have been on the run and never stay long enough in one place to give my family a normal stable life.

I am appealing to the world, I need help, financially, legally and I need media attention. I have no choice than to bring this to international attention, I have fought but lost a battle, there is nothing more I can do here, I need to call upon the international community.

I fear for the lives of my children and my own life. I call for justice. Please hear me and help. I need to raise money as I would like to approach the International Court for Justice in The Hague in the Netherlands. I have to leave Australia.

Any response to this injustice is more than welcome. I have opened an account for donations to be made towards helping me in this fight against human rights violations. There is a web site available for interested parties wanting to look at evidential material.

For donations, please send to:

Commonwealth Bank savings account
Casuarina, Northern Territory
Mrs Letty Marie Scott
account no: 765903 225214

Signed: Letty Marie Scott
25th November, 1998.

*** Letty's court case has been adjourned till New Year's Eve. Please fax letters of support to Rodney Lewis (International Commission of Jurors) in Sydney:

Fax: (02) 9804 6044

*** The web site for information on this case is being built at:

http://www.infoshop.org.au/genocide/scott