Jury chosen for trial of police charged in Mario Deane case

This morning the Westmoreland Circuit Court chose a seven-member jury for the trial of three lawmen in the 2014 Mario Deane case.

Trial begins tomorrow.

Presiding High Court Justice Courtney Daye today rescheduled the start of the trial of Corporal Elaine Stewart and Constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant, because another jury case was scheduled for hearing in the afternoon.

The trial of the three cops had been set for Monday, following the matter's last mention on February 17 and 21. The latter date was for case management to ensure that all documents were ready for the trial's start.

Stewart, Clevon and Grant are charged with manslaughter, misconduct in a public office, and taking steps to pervert the course of justice, all in relation to Mario Deane's death.

It is alleged that the three cops were on duty at the Barnett Street Police Station lock-up in Montego Bay, St James, on August 3, 2014, at the time when Deane was reportedly beaten while in custody. Deane, who was 31 years old, had reportedly been arrested and placed in custody earlier that day for possession of a small amount of ganja.

Following the alleged incident, Deane was taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in an unresponsive state and died three days later.

It is also alleged that Stewart, the the senior cop on duty, ordered the cleaning of the cell where the beating took place before investigators from the Independent Commission of Investigations arrived.

The case against the three cops was previously listed before the St James Circuit Court. It was transferred to the Westmoreland Circuit Court on November 15, 2024 due to difficulties in empanelling jurors in St James for the matter to be tried.

- Christopher Thomas

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