Mario Deane's cell floor was wet, with blood-like substance coming from drainpipe when investigator arrived

Detective Constable Rickardo Evans, the police forensic investigator currently testifying in the Mario Deane trial, today told the Westmoreland Circuit Court that the floor of the cell where Deane was beaten on August 3, 2014 was wet when he arrived there to carry out his investigations.

Evans, who is the third police witness in the trial of Corporal Elaine Stewart and Constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant, also testified that prior to entering the cell block at the Barnett Street Police Station in St James, where Deane was in custody for possession of a ganja spliff, he saw a blood-like substance coming from a drain pipe attached to the cell block.

Evans told the court that he saw three drain pipes in the vicinity of the cell block. He admitted that he could not say which of the pipes was connected to the cell where Deane was beaten.

The three police officers are currently on trial for manslaughter and misconduct in a public office in relation to Deane's death.

Stewart is also charged with perverting the course of justice, under allegations that she ordered the cell where Deane was beaten to be cleaned before the arrival of Independent Commission of Investigations representatives.

Meanwhile, the witness also testified that after he collected swab-samples of blood spatter in the vicinity of the cell and photographed the scene, he was given three plastic bags with items of clothing belonging to inmates Marvin Orr, Adrian Morgan, and Damion Cargill.

Orr, Morgan, and Cargill were previously tried with murder in relation to Deane's death, but they were eventually deemed unfit to stand trial due to being deaf-mute and mentally challenged.

- Christopher Thomas

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