WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — A forensic scientist assigned to the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine gave testimony in the Mario Deane case about items provided by the police for analysis.

The forensic scientist, who has 16 years of experience, is the Crown’s 10th witness in the ongoing case against the three cops charged with the incident in which Deane was fatally beaten while in police custody in 2014.

The three accused are Corporal Elaine Stewart, District Constables Marlon Grant and Juliana Clevon, all of whom are charged with manslaughter and misconduct in a public office. They all made an appearance in the Westmoreland Circuit Court on Monday.

During the morning session, the witness who testified virtually via the Zoom platform recalled receiving five items labelled RE1-5 from the police on August 4, 2014. The items were labelled a case of wounding with intent.

RE1 contained a swab of what appears to be blood samples collected from a drain pipe outside the cell block at the Barnett Street Police Station.

RE2 contained a swab of what appeared to be blood samples collected from the passageway of the cell block.

RE3 contained a pair of grey multicoloured shorts for Adrian Morgan, one of the inmates who was in custody with Deane.

The other package, RE4, contained a grey T-shirt, grey undershirt, grey shorts and red shorts belonging to another inmate, Damion Cargill.

RE5 contained a white T- shirt, a khaki shirt and black jeans shorts that belonged to a third inmate, Marvin Orr.

Morgan, Cargill and Orr were charged in connection with the beating death of Deane.

Morgan and Orr pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to time served in custody, while Cargill was deemed unfit to plead.

The witness concluded her testimony before the lunch break. Two witnesses are expected to take the stand this afternoon.

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 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.

— Anthony Lewis