An inquest into the fatal shooting of Jesse Deacon by New South Wales police has begun, revealing the 43-year-old Sydney man was killed within a minute of police knocking on his door after a Taser failed to deploy. The deputy state coroner David O'Neil heard on Monday that Deacon lived with treatment-resistant schizophrenia and fell into a group of about 30% of people with the illness for whom treatment is 'incredibly complex'.
Chronology of police actions
The counsel assisting the coroner, Donna Ward SC, detailed the police response leading up to Deacon's death. Three officers responded to a welfare callout described as a self-harm incident involving 'cut wrists'. A later warning incorrectly stated Deacon had HIV and could assault police 'without provocation'. At 11:56 pm on 19 July 2023, police knocked on Deacon's door, saying 'Hello mate, just the police, can you open the door please.' By 11:57 pm, officers kicked the door open, Deacon emerged with a large knife, an officer deployed a Taser that failed, and less than a second later another officer fatally shot him.
Lack of mental health warnings
Ward told the court the police dispatch system did not include warnings about Deacon's mental health challenges. The officer in charge of the investigation, Glenn Browne, testified he was surprised there was no such warning given Deacon's prior history. 'The purpose of warning is to convey the most important information to police when responding to incident,' he said. He presumed the HIV warning came from Deacon telling an officer he was HIV positive during a prior arrest, despite it being a delusion.
Mother's advocacy
Deacon's mother, 82-year-old Judy Deacon, has become a leading advocate for reform in police responses to mental health call-outs since her son's death. She told the court she was forgoing legal aid and would represent herself, urging that any inquest recommendations be implemented. During her questioning of Browne, she asked what could be done to prevent similar deaths. Browne responded, 'I'm not completely sure, Mrs Deacon, I wish things could be done better... Where there is a risk to personal safety, I doubt we will ever reach a point where ambulance officers will attend instead of us.'
Cyclical pattern of crisis
Ward described Deacon's life as a 'cyclical pattern' of hospitalisation, improvement, discharge with community treatment orders, then deterioration in mental health or increased drug use leading to crisis and containment. She listed incidents where Deacon posed risks to himself and assaulted others, including strangers and medical staff. She emphasised these facts were not raised for 'victim blaming' but to understand the circumstances. 'He did not cause his own death,' she said.
Judy was joined in court by family members of other victims of police shootings, including Lisa Topic, whose daughter Courtney was fatally shot by police during a psychotic episode in 2015. Judy stated, 'I'm hoping with the way I intend to question people... to bring out things to help your honour to put forward recommendations that are not only adhered to but are followed up and sustained into the future.' The inquest continues.
