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The grieving family of a young indigenous woman fatally shot in the stomach by a policeman have voiced their anger after he was acquitted of murder.

Yamatji woman Joyce Clarke, 29, better known as JC for cultural reasons, was shot from close range while surrounded by police cars in Geraldton in September 2019.

The mother-of-one experienced serious mental health and drug problems and was only recently released from prison at the time of her death. 

The constable who fatally shot JC was the first WA police officer to face a murder charge for a death in custody in 93 years. 

The officer, who can't be named, faced a three-week trial in the WA Supreme Court, where a jury found him not guilty on Friday.

JC's heartbroken family slammed the verdict on Wednesday and will lead calls for #JusticeForJC at a rally outside WA Parliament on Thursday. 

Yamatji woman and mother-of-one JC (pictured) was fatally shot from close range by a police officer two years ago

'I feel disgusted, it disgraced me, it hurt me. It didn't just shatter me, it shattered the nation. That wasn't a verdict, that was a show,' JC's sister Bernie Clarke said.   

JC's death sparked community outrage as large crowds of locals protested outside Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service and the local police station to express their anger.

Ms Clarke described JC as a much-loved mother, sister, daughter, aunty and cousin to many who will be greatly missed.

'I loved her smile, loved her attitude, the way she was. She left a little boy behind as well as her brothers and sisters,' her sister added.

'She was a good girl who just needed help, she needed help from mental health and from the government when she was taken away from her mother.'

JC left behind a nine-year-old son. 

'The man shot her at point-blank. Left the family broken,' Bernie said outside court following the verdict.

'How long is this going to go on for?'

JC's sister Bernadette Clarke (right) has slammed the verdict after a jury found the police officer not guilty

The family will hold a national day of action on Thursday, with rallies across the country.

They are asking governments to establish independent investigations into all deaths in custody, to support, resource and fund Aboriginal healing centres.

JC's family also wants governments to address systemic and structural racism in the justice system, including jury bias and representation.

'Australia must stop this violence to Aboriginal women,' human rights lawyer and Noongar woman, Dr Hannah McGlade said.

'This is Indigenous femicide and the state is failing in its duty to prevent, respond and punish the perpetrators.'

'Racism in the legal system stands in the way of justice for our people and must be confronted.'

Dhadjowa Foundation founder Apryl Day added: 'This has been a devastating outcome for the family of JC.

'It's a difficult reminder that unless things are addressed and adequately changed our people will continue to die at the hands of the state.' 

JC's family and supporters (pictured outside court during the recent trial) will hold a rally outside WA Parliament on Thursday

JC's death (crime scene pictured) sparked community outrage in Geraldton

The jury found the officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, not guilty of JC's murder on Friday after three hours of deliberation.

The accused officer wept in the dock as the jury also returned a not guilty verdict to the lesser charge of manslaughter. 

The accused testified he had acted in self-defence, claiming JC had turned towards him and raised the knife before he pulled the trigger. 

The accused was one of eight police officers who swarmed on the street where JC was seen carrying a large knife and a pair of scissors.

Five of the officers stayed in their cars, a sixth left his vehicle unarmed and attempted to speak to JC, and another drew his Taser but did not activate it.

The court heard the accused had got out of his vehicle, drawn his loaded firearm and run towards JC before firing a single shot at her abdomen from close range.

Other officers gave evidence JC had ignored repeated requests to drop the knife.

Defence lawyer Linda Black, who was escorted from the WA District Court building by police, said justice had been done.

'Very sadly, a young lady lost her life and (the officer) has had no opportunity to be able to express his sorrow for that,' she told reporters.

'He would like to do that today, to say how sad he is that by doing what he needed to do to preserve peace, it meant someone lost their life.'

Bernie Clarke described her sister JC (pictured) as a 'good girl who just needed help'

Prosecutors had argued CCTV footage of the shooting, taken from a home about 65 metres away, showed JC did not move towards the officers.

Given the accused man's extensive training, the number of officers present and the other available weapons, the shooting was 'wholly unnecessary', Director of Public Prosecutions Amanda Forrester SC said during the trial.

Ms Black argued her client was a 'brave and careful officer' who had acted correctly by drawing his gun, rather than a Taser, when confronting a person armed with a knife.

She said the officer had never previously fired his gun while on duty and had less than a second to decide whether to pull the trigger given the close proximity.

The trial heard JC had battled serious substance abuse issues and did not have custody of her young son, which was a source of distress.

Ten days prior to her death, she had been hospitalised after calling triple zero and saying she was going to kill herself.

JC (pictured) had experienced significant mental health and drug problems and recently been released from prison at the time of her death

Family supporter and Noongar woman Megan Krakouer said there was still 'no equality' for Indigenous people, 30 years after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Around 471 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died between the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991 and 2020. 

'This is what we have to deal with in the state of Western Australia. This happens far too many times and it hurts, and it's wrong,' Ms Krakouer said.

'No conviction ... and you wonder why Aboriginal people are so angry and disillusioned with the police and the system.'