WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — A forensic science officer assigned to the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine on Wednesday testified in the ongoing Mario Deane case that tests conducted on 16 samples and items collected from the crime scene for analysis showed that all except two had the presence of blood.
However, the tests could not verify the origin of the blood.
The 12th witness, who continued her testimony from Monday, told the Westmoreland Circuit Court that samples and items for analysis were collected on August 4 and 19 in 2024 and September 15, 2014.
The items that returned positive for the presence of blood include a swab taken from a drain pipe outside the cell block of the Barnett Street Police Station, a swab from the passageway in front of cell number four, a swab from the wall of the scene of the crime, a swab of a bed post, a pair of multi-coloured shorts, a pair of green shorts, along with more than one shirt and pairs of shorts.
A bag containing a brown and black shoe belonging to Deane and another bag containing a dirty sleeveless shirt belonging to one of three men who were in the cell with Deane returned negative for the presence of blood.
On the other hand, the witness told the court that a package containing left- and right-hand fingernail clippings which was taken from Deane during a post-mortem returned positive for the presence of blood. However, the test did not indicate if the blood was that of a human.
Also on Wednesday, the Crown failed in its attempts to show two witnesses from the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine a pair of blue denim trousers belonging to Deane.
This is the fourth time that the package marked ‘F’ has been barred from being entered into evidence. The first two attempts were on April 25.
Also in court on Wednesday, a senior forensic science officer — the fourth witness from the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine — ended the day’s proceedings with testimony about DNA tests carried out on the various samples and items.
The witness is expected to present her findings to the court when the case resumes Thursday.
The three accused are Corporal Elaine Stewart and district constables Marlon Grant and Juliana Clevon, all of whom are charged with manslaughter and misconduct in a public office.
The allegations in the case are that Deane was arrested for possession of a ganja spliff and placed in custody, where he was brutally beaten on August 3, 2014. He sustained severe injuries to his brain, which left him in a coma. He died three days later at Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James.
It is alleged that the three cops were on duty at the police station when Deane was beaten. It is further alleged that Stewart, who has an additional charge of perverting the course of justice, instructed that the cell in which the attack took place be cleaned before the arrival of investigators from the Independent Commission of Investigations.
— Anthony Lewis