The Northern Territory Supreme Court has released images of the ten centimetre medical scissors Kumanjayi Walker used to stab Constable Zachary Rolfe during a fatal arrest attempt in 2019, and the injuries the officer sustained in the attack.
However the third day of Rolfe's trial focused on another violent incident involving the deceased, which occurred three days before the November 9 shooting.
The medical scissors wielded by Kumanjayi Walker during his arrest. They measure 13cm across. Source: Supplied: Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
The so-called axe incident involved two veteran police officers who were stationed at Yuendumu.
Senior Constables Chris Hand and Lanyon Smith, with decades of remote policing between them, attempted to arrest Kumanjayi Walker on November 6 after he escaped an alcohol rehabilitation facility and returned to Yuendumu for a funeral.
Sen. Constable Hand said during a 25-year policing career he’d only ever drawn his gun once, had never discharged it, and that policing in remote communities was different to policing in places like Alice Springs.
He said when confronted by an axe-wielding Kumanjayi Walker he did not draw his weapon.
Senior Constable Chris Hand gave evidence on the so-called 'axe incident' on the trial's third day. Source: NITV News
“One of the principles is if you do aim your firearm at a subject you must be willing to use it. You don’t draw your firearm and use it as a threat.”
The jury was shown video of Kumanjayi Walker confronting the officers with axe in hand, before he ran off and escaped.
Questioned by Prosecutor Philip Strickland SC, Sen. Constable Hand told the court he was terrified but didn’t think Kumanjayi Walker would attack him.
“He had plenty of opportunity to assault us and he didn’t, he ran out of the house – he just wanted to escape”
Under cross examination by defence lawyer David Edwardson QC, Sen. Constable Hand said he hadn’t been made aware of previous incidents in which Kumanjayi Walker assaulted police.
He said he froze momentarily when the deceased produced the axe.
"You were concerned he was going to use that axe particularly towards your head?" asked Mr Edwardson.
Sen. Constable Hand responded "Yes".
Sen. Constable Smith told the jury he had encountered Kumanjayi Walker several times before the attempted arrest and defended his decision not drawn his weapon, even though he was cornered, with Kumanjayi Walker holding the axe no more than a metre away from him.
“From previous dealings with Warlpiri people, a lot if it is for show – they’re trying to impress upon their families that they’re a strong person," Smith testified.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Evan Kelly was the final witness to appear on Wednesday, the third day of the trial, which is expected to run for about four weeks.
Senior Constable Lanyon Smith defended his decision not to draw his gun when Kumanjayi Walker threatened him with an axe. Source: NITV News
He was a shift supervisor in Alice Springs at the time and after the axe incident he tasked Constable Rolfe and others to "have a look at Walker".
"Basically have a look at that job, find out what the job involved, have a look at Mr Walker's prior criminal history, his links, his links in town, basically when you give a constable or another member a job to have a look at, they go and do their due diligence, find out any alerts, any active alerts."
Part of the police file included body-worn camera footage from the axe incident, which the prosecution told the jury had been accessed by Constable Rolfe ten times.
The third day of the trial saw more witnesses testify in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory. Source: Supplied: Guy McLean
Detective Kelly was asked about the discussions amongst the officers surrounding the body-worn footage of the axe incident.
"I didn’t specifically give my patrol group any further information about dealing with an armed offender or edged weapons. It’s a common occurrence in Alice Springs," Kelly told the court.
"Not necessarily an axe or a knife, but a stick or a star picket or a broken bottle, quite often knives. [An axe] is up the scale as far as weapons incidents goes. But they’re a regular occurrence in Alice Springs.''
The trial continues tomorrow.
