<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NT Police will not press charges almost a year on from the death in custody of Kumanjayi White.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/alice-springs-death-in-custody-family-call-for-investigation-into-nt-police-conduct/935e8850-2c32-49d2-bff2-9fe909c449e4" rel="" target="_blank" title="24-year-old man with a disability died"><span>24-year-old man with a disability died</span></a><span> after being restrained by two police officers in a supermarket at Alice Springs on May 27, 2025.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Today, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="_blank" title="police "><span>police</span></a><span> confirmed they received advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) over the investigation.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/aussies-detained-by-israel-join-dozens-of-protesters-at-parliament-house/55c1e067-566c-48cd-9ca6-2af86f4554ce" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Dozens of protesters shut down part of Parliament House</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Senior police have spoken directly with the family and officers involved earlier today," NT Police said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We recognise this will be an emotional day for many people across the Northern Territory and ask the community to respond peacefully and respectfully."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The DPP said the legal threshold for prosecution has not been met.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/kumanjayi-white-police-rule-out-charges/fdfcc262-e12f-4b87-a1d7-0ee4a86d2743" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Decisions of this kind are made independently of government, based only on the evidence and the law."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole told reporters both officers involved were still employed but no decisions had been made about their reinstatement. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Senator Lidia Thorpe became emotional and wiped back tears as she expressed her hopelessness and anger at the news.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our people around the country feel this hopelessness when there's no one ever held accountable," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/dezi-freeman-victoria-police-arrest-two-people-in-investigation/35985beb-f17a-4cf2-9d64-d52e2a66cdbb" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Two arrested as part of Dezi Freeman investigation</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Describing her conversations with the federal government over deaths in custody, Thorpe said they don't care.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The federal government are complicit in deaths in custody because they don't act," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They're complicit in child removals because they don't act, they have constitutional power to act, and they choose not to."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our focus remains on community safety, transparency within lawful limits and ensuring the integrity of all ongoing processes," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The investigation was handled by the NT Police while an interstate police force conducted an independent use-of-force review.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The DPP reviewed the evidence and made their ruling today. A coronial inquest is under way.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Thorpe said there would never be a satisfactory outcome when police investigated police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They have experts, they have Aboriginal people, indigenous people at the table so that it's complete independence from the police."</span></div></div>