The absent juror from the trial of cops charged within the 2014 demise of Mario Deane, which was meant to start on Tuesday, was excused by the Westmoreland Circuit Court docket on medical grounds.
Excessive Court docket Justice Courtney Daye excused the juror when the matter towards Corporal Elaine Stewart and Constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant was referred to as up shortly after 10:45 a.m., citing a medical report which was beforehand submitted on the juror’s behalf.
“The rationale why the juror was not right here (on Tuesday) is that she needed to cease and get medical consideration on her manner right here. The physician is recommending that she won’t be out there right here over the subsequent 30 days…based mostly on that, I should excuse you,” Daye defined, briefly addressing the juror within the course of.
Following the excusing of the juror, a brief empanelling session was held to convey a alternative juror on to the seven-member jury.
The trial’s begin was rescheduled to this morning as a result of the courtroom was unable to contact the juror on Tuesday.
The courtroom is at present giving directions to the jurors on how they’re to weigh the proof throughout the trial, forward of receiving proof from the prosecution’s first witness.
Stewart, Clevon and Grant are charged with manslaughter, misconduct in a public workplace, and taking steps to pervert the course of justice, beneath allegations that they have been on obligation on the Barnett Avenue Police Station lock-up in Montego Bay, St James, on August 3, 2014, on the time when Deane was reportedly overwhelmed whereas in custody.
Following the alleged incident, Deane was taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in an unresponsive state and died three days later.
It’s also alleged that Stewart, the senior officer on obligation, ordered the cleansing of the cell the place the beating came about earlier than investigators from the Unbiased Fee of Investigations arrived.
– Christopher Thomas
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