NEXT Monday marks six months since Jason Plum shot himself in the back of a police van at Wagga police station, but his family are no closer to closure or moving on.
Jason was 37 when he died the following day after his family made the heartwrenching decision to turn off the machines that were keeping him alive.
To date, the officers involved in the arrest of Jason have not been stood down, and his mother, Debra Plum, relives the horrific situation every day.
“The last six months have been the worst six months of my entire life ... it’s not just losing a child, the whole situation is just horrible,” she said.
“I look sometimes, just waiting for him to walk back through the door.
“I guess we won’t probably ever (have closure) because it was avoidable and something that shouldn’t have happened.”
The family is still waiting on the return of Jason’s possessions, Debra said, and want to know what happened to their son and father.
They cannot move on until the case is heard in the NSW Coroner’s Court, and they want answers to the 26 questions sent off to the coroner.
“We have not heard whatsoever from them (the coroner), no answer to any questions, no response, nothing at all,” Debra said.
“I’ve got no idea when the inquest will be ... even our solicitor hasn’t seen a brief of evidence.”
The biggest question the family has – the only one that could have changed the entire outcome of that night, Debra claims – is this: why was Jason not searched when he was put into the police van when he was arrested?
Acting duty officer with Griffith police – where the critical incident team is investigating Jason’s death – Troy Kauter, yesterday said no comment could be made as it is in the hands of the coroner.
A spokesman for the NSW Attorney General confirmed the brief of evidence is due to the coroner’s court on April 5, with the matter set for mention on April 13.
There is still no sign of a inquest date.
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