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Lidia Thorpe wipes back tears as police rule out charges over death in custody

NT Police will not press charges almost a year on from the death in custody of Kumanjayi White.

The 24-year-old man with a disability died after being restrained by two police officers in a supermarket at Alice Springs on May 27, 2025.

Today, police confirmed they received advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) over the investigation.

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Alice Springs Police

"Senior police have spoken directly with the family and officers involved earlier today," NT Police said in a statement.

"We recognise this will be an emotional day for many people across the Northern Territory and ask the community to respond peacefully and respectfully."

The DPP said the legal threshold for prosecution has not been met.

"After considering all available material, including the independent expert report and external legal advice, the DPP formed the view that there are no reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution," the DPP said in a statement.

"Decisions of this kind are made independently of government, based only on the evidence and the law."

NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole told reporters both officers involved were still employed but no decisions had been made about their reinstatement. 

"The dynamics of exactly what occurred in the incident is what's going to be explored in the coronial process by the coroner. We'll obviously listen to any recommendations that come in," he said.

Senator Lidia Thorpe became emotional and wiped back tears as she expressed her hopelessness and anger at the news.

"Our people around the country feel this hopelessness when there's no one ever held accountable," she said.

"I'm angry, I'm devastated, and I'm sick of being angry and devastated when I get these stories, and no accountability, no justice for my people ever, and where there is no justice, there is no peace."

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Senator Lidia Thorpe became emotional and wiped back tears as she responded to news no charges will be laid over Kumanjayi White's death.

Describing her conversations with the federal government over deaths in custody, Thorpe said they don't care.

"The federal government are complicit in deaths in custody because they don't act," she said.

"They're complicit in child removals because they don't act, they have constitutional power to act, and they choose not to."

Dole urged the community to be "mindful" of the impact public commentary would have on the coronial process, Kumanjayi White's family and police officers as he called for calm.

"Our focus remains on community safety, transparency within lawful limits and ensuring the integrity of all ongoing processes," he said.

The investigation was handled by the NT Police while an interstate police force conducted an independent use-of-force review.

The DPP reviewed the evidence and made their ruling today. A coronial inquest is under way.

Thorpe said there would never be a satisfactory outcome when police investigated police.

"I think it's an error that we have police investigating police. There are international examples of independent reviews and investigations of deaths in custody," she said.

"They have experts, they have Aboriginal people, indigenous people at the table so that it's complete independence from the police."

Woman charged over alleged assault that left waitress with chipped tooth

A woman has been charged nearly a month after an alleged assault that left a Melbourne waitress needing emergency dental surgery.

French backpacker Anais Poupon, 19, was working at La Vallee Cafe on Keilor Road in Essendon on April 25 when a passerby allegedly knocked a plate she was carrying, causing it to smash into her teeth.

The alleged unprovoked attack was caught on CCTV and Poupon's colleagues posted the footage to social media in a bid to track down the alleged offender.

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The waitress, French backpacker Anais Poupon, who was walking outside the cafe on Keilor Road, Essendon, was left with a bloodied mouth and chipped tooth as a result of the unprovoked attack.

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A 52-year-old Footscray woman was arrested at Dandenong Railway Station about 10.50am on May 23.

She was charged with recklessly causing injury and faced Melbourne Magistrates' court the next day.

The charged woman was granted bail and will next appear at Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court on 17 August, 2026.

Poupon required surgery to fix her chipped tooth following the incident.