Forensic witness flags exhibit inconsistencies

WESTERN BUREAU:

Forensic scientist Nadia Whyte testified on Monday that two exhibits submitted in the trial of three police officers accused in the 2014 beating death of Mario Deane did not match the descriptions on the evidence bags.

Whyte, from the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine, is the 10th prosecution witness in the trial of Corporal Elaine Stewart and Constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant.

She detailed in the Westmoreland Circuit Court that a day after Deane was beaten – August 4, 2014 – she received three exhibits, including a pair of shorts reportedly belonging to Adrian Morgan, a fellow inmate of Deane’s. However, there was a discrepancy.

“I received one sealed, brown paper bag marked ‘RE-3’, containing a black plastic bag labelled ‘Adrian Morgan’, with a pair of grey shorts taken from the person of Adrian Morgan on August 3, 2014 at the Barnett Street police lock-up, re a case of wounding with intent. However, it was noted that it was a multicoloured pair of shorts, and this was noted by me on the exhibit form,” said Whyte, explaining that the term ‘multicoloured’ refers to clothing with at least three colours.

Whyte further testified via video link that she discovered a similar discrepancy regarding the colour of a shirt she received as one of two additional exhibits in the case on August 19, 2014.

A similar issue arose with a shirt submitted on August 19, 2014. According to Whyte, exhibit RE-5 was labelled as containing, among other things, a khaki T-shirt but, instead, held a beige shirt.

During cross-examination, defence attorney Dalton Reid questioned Whyte about the shorts. She confirmed that she had recorded the correct colour on the forensic exhibit form. She was not questioned about the discrepancy with the shirt. Morgan and two other inmates, Marvin Orr and Damion Cargill – initially charged with Deane’s murder – were later deemed unfit for trial due to being deaf-mute and mentally challenged.

Other experts

The court also heard from two other forensic experts via video link, Karen Hylton-Grayson and Hillary Mullings-Williams, both also from the institute. Hylton-Grayson testified that she received six exhibits on September 15, 2014 from the Independent Commission of Investigations’ forensics head, Peter Parkinson. These included swabs from the lock-up cell, fingernail clippings, and Deane’s clothing.

Mullings-Williams, head of the institute’s Biology Department, briefly explained her role in supervising serological analysis, which helps to identify blood traces.

The trial, presided over by High Court Justice Courtney Daye, will resume on Wednesday, April 30, when both forensic officers are expected to complete their testimonies.

Stewart, Clevon, and Grant are charged with manslaughter and misconduct in public office. Stewart also faces a charge of perverting the course of justice for allegedly ordering the cell cleaned before INDECOM investigators arrived.

christoher.thomas@gleanerjm.com