Police witness says Mario Deane argued with police while in custody

WESTERN BUREAU:

Constable Orville Williams, the police witness currently testifying in the trial of three police personnel charged in the beating death of Mario Deane, admitted under cross-examination yesterday that Deane was arguing with another policeman while being brought into custody after being arrested on August 3, 2014.

During the sixth day of the trial of Corporal Elaine Stewart and Constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant in the Westmoreland Circuit Court, Williams, who was the subofficer on duty at the Barnett Street Police Station lock-up in St James on the day in question, initially testified that Deane was annoyed for being arrested for possession of a ganja spliff but was otherwise cooperative while being interviewed by a District Constable Baugh at the lock-up.

However, defence attorney Martyn Thomas, who is representing Stewart and Grant, got Williams to admit that he had made a previous report indicating that Deane was behaving in an uncooperative manner with the police.

‘I CANNOT RECALL’

“Have you ever used the words, ‘I heard Mario Deane arguing with Mr Baugh’?” Thomas asked Williams.

“I cannot recall that, sir,” William said. “‘I went over there, which is the processing area [at the Barnett Street lock-up], and made enquiries’. Do you remember using those words on a previous occasions?” asked Thomas.

“No, sir,” said Williams.

“‘Mr Deane was uncooperative’. Do you remember saying that?” Thomas asked next.

“Yes, sir,” Williams acknowledged.

Thomas also showed Williams a copy of a deposition that the witness had made in 2016 before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court, now the St James Parish Court, in which he reported that Deane and Baugh had got into an argument.

“Do you agree that what you told the judge in 2016 is different from what you are telling us today, about what happened between Mario Deane and District Constable Baugh?” asked Thomas.

“Yes, sir,” Williams admitted.

“Which version is correct?” Thomas asked next.

“The one that I told the judge in 2016,” said Williams.

Presiding High Court Justice Courtney Daye eventually adjourned the trial until March 18 when Williams is expected to finish his cross-examination testimony.

Stewart, Clevon, and Grant are on trial for manslaughter and misconduct in a public office, under allegations that they were the officers on duty at the Barnett Street Police Station lock-up at the time Deane was beaten while in custody. Deane, a 31-year-old construction worker, was admitted to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in an unresponsive state and died three days later.

Stewart is also charged with perverting the course of justice, where she allegedly ordered the cleaning of the cell where the beating had taken place before investigators from the Independent Commission of Investigations arrived.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com