WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — A cop who was stationed at Barnett Street Police Station when Mario Deane was fatally beaten in the lockup testified, under cross-examination by a defence lawyer on Tuesday, that he had initially started the process for Deane to be granted bail but stopped after Deane refused to cooperate with the police.

He said he had written bail in the station diary, but later crossed it out.

Also on Tuesday, the zone commander at Barnett Street Police Station when Mario Deane was brutally beaten to death testified that he was told about the incident hours after it occurred and there was nothing he could have done about it. The cop was on sick leave at the time of the attack.

The police officer, whose testimony was paused last week after he fell ill and was placed on five days sick leave, resumed his testimony on Tuesday.

Before the Westmoreland Circuit Court are Corporal Elaine Stewart, and constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant who are all charged with manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, and misconduct in a public office in connection with Deane’s August 3, 2014 death.

The then zone commander outlined that — as requested by the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) when he returned to work — he gave a statement on August 9 and another on September 10, 2014. The latter report included the lockup administration policy which, he said, had been shared with the inspector at the Barnett Street station for it to be disseminated to staff.

As he explained, lockup administration speaks to security, and cells occupied by individuals who are intoxicated must be visited twice every hour. Cell visits should be done once per hour for regular males, children, and women.

The witness also told the court that station bail is offered to individuals who can verify their identity and have a valid address. He said minor offences such as the use of indecent language and smoking in a public space qualify for station bail while the court rules on bail for more serious offences.

Deane was arrested for the possession of a ganja spliff and placed in custody, where he was brutally beaten. 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 Stewart, Clevon and Grant were on duty at the police station at the time when Deane was beaten. It is further alleged that 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 resumes Thursday at 10:00 am.

– Anthony Lewis