Three police officers found guilty in 2014 death of Mario Deane
Key Points(5)
- More than a decade after the brutal jailhouse beating of 31-year-old construction worker Mario Deane, a Westmoreland jury has found three police officers guilty for their roles in his death.
- The verdict was handed down earlier today in the Westmoreland Circuit Court.
- After a little more than two hours of deliberation, a seven-member jury returned a 6-1 majority verdict, convicting Corporal Elaine Stewart and District Constables Marlon Grant and Juliana Clevon on multiple charges.
- All three were found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence and misconduct in a public office.
- Stewart was additionally found guilty of doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice.
More than a decade after the brutal jailhouse beating of 31-year-old construction worker Mario Deane, a Westmoreland jury has found three police officers guilty for their roles in his death.
The verdict was handed down earlier today in the Westmoreland Circuit Court. After a little more than two hours of deliberation, a seven-member jury returned a 6-1 majority verdict, convicting Corporal Elaine Stewart and District Constables Marlon Grant and Juliana Clevon on multiple charges.
All three were found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence and misconduct in a public office. Stewart was additionally found guilty of doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice.
Mario Deane had been arrested on August 3, 2014, for possession of a ganja spliff. While in custody, he was severely beaten. He sustained massive injuries to his brain, which left him in a coma. He died three days later at Cornwall Regional Hospital.
The case shocked the nation and diaspora, and sparked renewed outrage over police abuse. Prosecutors alleged that the three officers, who were on duty at the time, failed to intervene or protect Deane. More damning, Stewart was accused of ordering the jail cell to be cleaned before investigators from the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) could arrive—an attempt, prosecutors argued, to cover up what had happened.
The Crown's star witness, an inmate who was at the lockup at the time, gave a chilling account of the events. He testified that Deane was mistreated by officers before the beating and that Grant had physically assaulted him. The witness also claimed that the officers asked him not to tell anyone what he had seen.
During the trial, the officers gave unsworn statements denying all wrongdoing and rejecting the inmate's testimony. Justice Courtney Daye, who presided over the case, told jurors to carefully weigh the credibility of the witness, especially since there were inconsistencies in his evidence. He also reminded them that they could choose to disregard his testimony entirely if they found his explanation for those discrepancies unsatisfactory.
Justice Daye instructed the jury to consider each of the three charges separately for each accused. After weeks of testimony over 29 trial days, and seven days of summation from the Crown, defense attorneys, and the judge, the case was finally handed over to the jury on Thursday.
The trial, which began on March 3, was marked by numerous delays and adjournments, but the verdict now delivers a measure of justice more than ten years after Deane’s death.
Sentencing is expected in the coming weeks.
