Defence lawyer for cops in Mario Deane trial portrays inmate who testified for prosecution as liar

Attorney Martyn Thomas, the lawyer for two of the three cops on trial for the death of Mario Deane, this morning painted a prosecution witness as untruthful and unreliable as he made his closing arguments in the Westmoreland Circuit Court.

The witness had testified that the defendants, Corporal Elaine Stewart and Constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant, verbally abused Deane while he was in custody at the Barnett Street Police Station lock-up in St James for possession of a ganja spliff on August 3, 2014, and that they urged him not to speak to anyone after Deane was beaten at the lock-up that day.

But, in reviewing the defence team's case for the seven-member jury this morning, Thomas, who is representing Stewart and Grant, declared that the witness was a liar, whose narrative contradicted his own statement to the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and the testimony of other witnesses.

Thomas argued that the witness submitted his statement to INDECOM on August 11, 2014, eight days after Deane was beaten, and that his evidence during the trial was constantly changing, particularly when he was under cross-examination.

Thomas also accused the prosecution of relying too heavily on the inmate's testimony in building its case against the three police personnel.

The defence team's closing arguments will continue later this afternoon, with Clevon's lawyer, Dalton Reid, slated to address the court.

The prosecution has already closed its case.

Stewart, Clevon, and Grant are on trial for manslaughter and misconduct in a public office in relation to Deane's death on August 6, 2014, three days after he was beaten while in custody at the Barnett Street lock-up.

Stewart is also charged with perverting the course of justice, where she allegedly ordered Deane’s cell to be cleaned before the arrival of INDECOM investigators.

- Christopher Thomas

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