WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — It appears the decision to move the Mario Deane murder trial outside St James has yielded results. When the case was called up for the first time in Westmoreland Circuit Court on Monday, the court was informed that 60 people had been summoned for jury duty.

While the total number of people who actually showed up is unclear, defence attorney Dalton Reid said the number was more than those seen in St James.

The matter is to be called up on Friday for a case management hearing ahead of the March 3 date set for trial. A lack of jurors has been one of the factors that have led to the case’s slow progress through the court system.  Three cops were slapped with charges in connection with the 2014 beating death of then 31-year-old Deane. Corporal Elaine Stewart, constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant are all charged with manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, and misconduct in public office.

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. Deane received severe injuries to his brain, which left him in a coma. He died three days later in Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James.

It is alleged that the three cops were on duty at the police station at the time 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 (Indecom).

In May 2014, St James Parish Judge Sandria Wong Small ruled that the three cops should stand trial. However, the case was delayed for almost a decade.

It is now one of the cases that will be heard in the Hilary session of Westmoreland Circuit Court which is expected to run from February 17 to March 14.

– Anthony Lewis