WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — The case involving the three cops charged in connection with the 2014 death of Mario Deane while in police custody has been stood down until Wednesday afternoon.

The case was stood down a short while ago due to the absence of the seventh witness who testified on Tuesday and was scheduled to continue with his testimony in chief on Wednesday in the Westmoreland Circuit Court.

Following an enquiry, the court was informed that the crime scene investigator was on his way. As a result, Supreme Court Justice Courtney Daye allocated an hour for the witness travelling from St James to be present.

Besides, the court was also told by the Crown that they needed to finalise arrangements with another witness who was expected to take the stand for the first time on Wednesday.

The Crown prosecutor informed the court that she would do her best to have the witnesses present on Thursday.

The three cops on trial are District Constable Marlon Grant, Corporal Elaine Stewart, and Constable Juliana Clevon, who are all 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 Corporal 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.