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Pathologist provides evidence Mario Deane was beaten, strangled to death
SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — A retired forensic pathologist on Wednesday gave grim details of 19 external injuries, including signs of being beaten, dragged along the floor and strangled, that caused the death of Mario Deane while he was in police custody. He also testified that there were fatal injuries to Dean’s vital internal organs.
The findings were based on a post-mortem done on September 2, 2014.
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“Death, in this case, has been attributed to blunt injury to the head, secondary to severe blunt force injury or trauma plus compression of the neck consistent with a blow to the face and head and consistent banging of the head against an object or hard blunt surface such as a wall and manual strangling of the neck. Death in this case appeared to be homicide,” stated the pathologist in presenting his evidence in chief in the Westmoreland Circuit Court.
Three cops — Corporal Elaine Stewart, and constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant — are on trial.
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The pathologist, who will not be named in keeping with the presiding judge’s instructions not to identify witnesses by name, testified via Zoom as he is not in Jamaica.
He told the court that a closer look at the internal examination report indicated that the skull bone showed signs of linear fractures or a broken skull without displacement on both sides. He said there was haemorrhaging of the brain or bleeding due to severe trauma. There was also swelling in the skull because of the bleeding.
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While the spine and spinal cord appeared normal, the neck muscles on the right side had extended bruises. The trachea or air passage in the neck was severely bruised. The neck blood vessels had stagnant blood caused by the squeezing of the neck from a human hand which is consistent with external observation of the body, the pathologist testified.
Within the chest area, there were signs of blood entering both lungs. He said the blood came from the neck and mouth. The pathologist testified that this could have contributed to Deane’s death due to choking and breathing issues.
He told the court that while the heart had no abnormality, the stomach within the abdomen region showed signs of small amounts of bleeding on the wall.
The report concluded that Deane certainly suffered from a lack of oxygen in the body due to head injury and compression of the neck structure.
Prior to giving the conclusion of his findings, the doctor continued with his presentation from Monday where he had touched upon 18 of the 19 external injuries observed on Deane’s body.
Among them were wounds located on the right side under the chin caused by blunt objects. There were lacerated wounds to the left eyebrow and eyelids which were stitched at the hospital to stop bleeding that was caused by a blunt object. In addition, there was an abrasion to the left side of the face and cheek caused by a fist blow or hard surface or hit to the wall or floor. Also noted in the report was a lacerated wound to the scalp of the head caused by the possibility of Deane being thrust against a wall or banged on the floor.
Other injuries included linear scalp abrasions to the left side of the face caused by contact with a hardened blunt surface; a cluster of abrasion wounds to the back of the neck which is consistent with pressure from human fingertips; scalp abrasions on the back of the left shoulder caused by blunt objects or surfaces such as the floor or wall; as well as scattered abrasions to the back of the chest caused by pressing against a hard surface.
The list continued with abrasion to the left side of the back abdomen caused by the body being rubbed against a hard surface such as being dragged on the floor. Bruises on the right arm, back of the right arm, front forearm and base of the left middle finger caused by the tip of fingers trying to forcefully restrain him.
In addition, the back of Deane’s left knee had bruises which are consistent with being squeezed on a hard surface; and the tip of the tongue and cheek muscles had bruises caused by someone trying to forcefully close his mouth.
Corporal Stewart, and constables Clevon and Grant — are all charged with manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, and misconduct in a public office in connection with Deane’s death.
At the end of the pathologist’s presentation on Wednesday, lawyers Martin Thomas— who represents Stewart and Grant—along with Dalton Reid who represents Clevon told the court they had no questions for the witness.
The allegations 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 received 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 Corporal Stewart instructed that the cell in which the attack took place be cleaned before the arrival of investigators from the Independent Commission of Investigations.
The case has been adjourned until Monday, March 31 at 10:00 am.
