Witness’ illness causes early adjournment

WESTERN BUREAU:

The third day of the trial of the three police officers charged in connection with the 2014 beating death of Mario Deane was adjourned after five minutes as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kevin Francis, who was slated to continue his evidence-in-chief in the Westmoreland Circuit Court, was absent due to illness.

Presiding High Court Justice Courtney Daye yesterday adjourned the trial of the three police personnel, Corporal Elaine Stewart and constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant, until today after the prosecution revealed that its scheduled witness, Francis, was seeking medical attention and could not attend the sitting.

Francis, who is currently assigned to the Westmoreland Divisional Headquarters, was in charge of several police stations in St James, including the Barnett Street Police Station, in Montego Bay where Deane was beaten on August 3, 2014. Deane died three days later at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

“What we are concerned with is the witness, DSP Francis, who was here on Friday, and I understand he is getting medical attention. I am going to adjourn the matter for tomorrow [Tuesday], because he should be here,” Daye told the seven-member jury.

“The officer should be here to complete his evidence and to be cross-examined. Now that we know the situation, we will adjourn the matter and let you, the jury, know what happens from early,” continued Daye.

Prior to the rescheduling, Francis’ evidence was expected to be completed yesterday, which would have been followed by a break today and then a resumption tomorrow with another police witness taking the stand.

During the first part of his evidence-in-chief last Friday, Francis told the court that he was on sick leave during August 2014, and that he did not visit the Barnett Street Police Station during that period. He recalled that the station’s cell block was located behind a derelict building on the premises, and that police personnel ranked from corporal to sergeant would have been responsible for overseeing the lockup.

“Lockup administration training surrounds the securing of prisoners with the use of handcuffs, ensuring proper entries are made in the station diary, proper entries in the diet book [regarding prisoners’ meals], general management of prisoners, ensuring that no contraband enters the cells, that cell checks are done, and ensuring the general well-being of prisoners,” Francis testified at that time.

Stewart, Clevon, and Grant are all charged with manslaughter and misconduct in a public office, as they are alleged to have been on duty at the Barnett Street Police Station lockup when Deane was beaten while in custody there.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com