Two Victoria police officers have appeared in court charged with negligent manslaughter over the death of a man following his arrest in Melbourne's south-west last year. Constable Alexander Papanastassis, 29, and Sergeant James Fitzgerald, 49, faced a brief hearing at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.
The officers, who have been suspended since the incident, are accused of unlawfully killing Luke Briggs, 35, who died in hospital eight days after his arrest in a convenience store car park in Hoppers Crossing in July 2024. During the arrest, Briggs allegedly became unresponsive, and officers performed CPR before calling for medical assistance.
At the hearing, the court was told that CCTV and body-worn camera footage had been collected from Victoria Police. Both men were granted bail on the condition they notify police of any address change within 24 hours and have surrendered their passports. They are due to return to court on 12 December for a committal mention.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam said the force took action to uphold community trust, stating that incidents such as this are investigated thoroughly regardless of rank. Briggs' family previously described their heartbreak, saying they shared stories and played his favourite songs in his final hours.
