Latest news with #CassiusTurvey
ABC News
08-05-2025
- ABC News
Cassius Turvey left behind a legacy of leadership for all who knew him
Cassius Turvey was tall for a 15-year-old — 181 centimetres to be exact — but those who knew him say his heart was even bigger. WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains an image of a person who has died, used with the permission of their family. A three-month-long trial into the teenager's death has culminated in three men being found guilty: two of murder, and one of manslaughter. The verdict has turned the page on what has been a tortuous chapter for Cassius's family and friends. A memorial plaque for the teenager in his community of Midland, east of Perth, sits as an enduring reminder of the legacy he left behind: a "gentle giant", "huggable teddy bear", and a "young leader". Cheryl Kickett-Tucker remembers the quiet 10-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy who walked into a community program she was running. "He was a shy boy, but he was very humorous," she said. As he grew, Ms Kickett-Tucker says a leader emerged. "He was a very tall boy, people had to look up to him. But it was his heart that was larger than his height," she said. The teenager started his own lawn mowing business with two of his friends and reportedly told his customers — their neighbours — to pay what they wanted. "The spirit of Cassius is still among us … we've got to continue living our lives and working together, and helping each other, and seeing the best in each other, because that's what Cassius was all about," Ms Kickett-Tucker said. Cassius's death in 2022 sparked rallies across the nation. First Nations communities recoiled at the news of yet another young Indigenous death. Noongar traditional custodian Jim Morrison said the intergenerational trauma experienced by Aboriginal people made it difficult not to raise questions at the time about whether race was a factor in Cassius's death; something the court has since ruled out. "The poor little man buried his father — six weeks prior to his death — who was a Stolen Generations person," Mr Morrison said. "These sorts of things, our young people experience every day. The amount of racial profiling that exists, and still exists." While the trial into Cassius's murder heard racial slurs were used on the day the teenager was beaten, there was no mention of any racial motivation behind the attack. Instead, it was likely a case of vigilantism gone horribly wrong — men enacting misdirected vengeance against children after one of their car's windows had been smashed the day before. The court heard Cassius was walking with friends after school when he was savagely beaten with a metal handle ripped off a trolley. He died 10 days later in hospital. Both men convicted of the murder, Jack Brearley and Brodie Palmer, have accused each other of beating Cassius. A sentencing hearing is set for June 26. Speaking after the verdict, the lead detective on Cassius's case, Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen Cleal, made absolutely clear: "Cassius was completely innocent of all the events that led up to this terrible tragedy." What had happened to Cassius was senseless — something those close to the teenager instinctively knew back in 2022, even without a trial. But that only fuelled concerns at the time among Aboriginal communities, many of which had become afraid to let their children walk the streets as Cassius had. Racial and police tensions brewed in the immediate aftermath of the boy's death. But, through all the grief and anger, one voice remained calm. "Kids matter," Cassius's mother Mechelle Turvey said at a candlelit vigil for her son. "All our kids. Black, white, brown, pink, yellow, it doesn't matter." Her message was clear. It was about unity and moving forward, not division and vengeance. Addressing another rally of thousands in Perth, on a national day of action that saw dozens of similar rallies around the country, Ms Turvey carried on delivering that message, reading from one of Cassius's school reports. "[Cassius] always enjoys being challenged … this demonstrates his willingness and self motivation to succeed," the report read. Building each other up, and leading by example — that's the legacy Mechelle Turvey believes her son has left behind.
SBS Australia
08-05-2025
- SBS Australia
Two men found guilty of murdering Perth boy Cassius Turvey
Two men found guilty of murdering Perth boy Cassius Turvey Published 8 May 2025, 8:31 am Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned this story contains the name and image of someone who has died. A Western Australian Supreme Court jury has handed down its verdict in the high-profile trial over the death of 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy Cassius Turvey. His killing sparked national grief and global calls for justice. SBS Western Australia Correspondent Christopher Tan filed this report.
ABC News
08-05-2025
- ABC News
Cassius Turvey's killers guilty of murder
Two men have been found guilty of the murder of 15 year old Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey in Perth in 2022. The 15 year old was beaten with a metal bar and died in hospital ten days later. His mother Mechelle Turvey is relieved by the verdicts but says without her son, justice will never be served.
ABC News
08-05-2025
- ABC News
How Mechelle Turvey's grief and love for her son Cassius captured hearts across Australia
Mechelle Turvey had just lost her son. WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains images of a person who has died, used with the permission of their family. It also contains details some people may find distressing. One of his murderers was handcuffed in the building behind her, and in front of her was a media pack. "For no reason I've lost him. We only buried his father a month ago," she told reporters outside court on October 24, 2022. Cassius Turvey was murdered while walking after school in Perth's east. ( Supplied ) Her voice was trembling. Tears welled up. Her family held her as she conjured the courage to continue speaking. "My heart is breaking," she said. " I'm relying on you guys to help us with justice for Cassius. " Her cry for help — her deep grief and boundless love for her son — went on to capture hearts across the nation. A vortex of pain and fury Noongar-Yamatji schoolboy Cassius Turvey died after being brutally beaten with a metal pole in broad daylight while walking with friends after school. He was 15 years old. Those who knew the teenager described him as a "kind and gentle soul". But in the days after Cassius died, his name spread with fury, along with a stark message: "justice for Cassius". ( Supplied: Mechelle Turvey ) Questions were raised at the time as to Crowds of The prime minister even weighed in, saying the attack was a "human tragedy" that "just breaks your heart". But amongst the vortex of fury and rage after yet another Indigenous death, Mechelle Turvey called for calm. Mechelle Turvey at a candlelight vigil for her son. ( ABC News: Cason Ho ) "Do not use my son's tragedy as a platform to blow your trumpets," she told a crowd of attendees at a candlelit vigil for her son. " Kids matter ... all our kids. " Justice for Cassius, in Mechelle's eyes, wouldn't be achieved through retribution or stoking racial tensions. It was about listening, learning, and improving. "Anger ... will manifest in your heart to a point where you hate everyone and everything," Mechelle Turvey speaks in front of a crowd of thousands. ( ABC News: Cason Ho ) On November 2, 2022, just weeks after her sons death, Mechelle led a peaceful rally of thousands in Perth with the words "Kids Matter" emblazoned on the back of her shirt. A crowd of thousands at a rally for Cassius Turvey. ( ABC News: Cason Ho ) Thousands more followed suit in dozens of rallies across Australia in a Again, Mechelle Turvey made her message clear. It wasn't one of retribution or anger, but of hope. Hope for the future: "Kids matter". 'Three months of hell' It's been a long and arduous journey for the grieving mother, Cassius's attacker Jack Brearley was described by the prosecutor as being filled with fury over petty grievances and "hunting for kids" after his car windows had been smashed. While racial slurs had been yelled on the day Cassius was attacked, the trial never cited racial motivations as a factor behind the attack. Cassius Turvey was remembered by his teachers as always willing to help his classmates. ( Facebook: The Awesome Boileys ) Rather, it was an act of vigilantism gone horribly wrong. Forever 15 The court heard the 15-year-old was walking with a group of friends after school when he was fatally attacked by Brearley using a metal handle ripped from a shopping trolley. Another man, Brodie Palmer, was also found guilty of murder for helping Brearley; and a third, Mitchell Forth, was convicted of manslaughter. The men were all in their 20s, significantly older than the boys they targeted. Two-and-a-half years after her boy died, Mechelle Turvey walked out of court surrounded by family and supporters, and yelled: "Justice". Supporters of the family gathered with Mechelle Turvey and shouted "justice" outside court after the verdicts were read. ( ABC News: David Weber ) "I'd like to thank the 91 witnesses, and may I say, most of them were young children that are scarred for life," she said. " 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever 15. " 'Mama's on a mission' In light of her experiences with police after her son's death, Mechelle has gone on to help train officers to manage the needs of victims of crime. It was Mechelle's way of using her grief, and love, to make a difference. She quoted one of her son's cheeky phrases: "Mama's on a mission," she said. "It's not only helping people in the community in the long run, and the police, it's also helping me." Cassius Turvey's mother Mechelle, pictured with Detective Steve Cleal outside court on Wednesday, has worked with police since her son's murder. ( ABC News: David Weber ) Mechelle was named Speaking after Thursday's verdict outside court, there was a sense of finality in Mechelle's words as she told reporters what she had planned for the next chapter of her life. "Trying to do what I have been doing, and taking one day at a time, and getting myself to be the best version of myself," she said. " I feel very light-weighted in my heart and soul today. " Loading
The Star
08-05-2025
- The Star
Australian jury convicts two men for murder of Indigenous teen
The jury heard the attack on Cassius Turvey was 'the end point of a complex series of events'. - Photo: AAP file SYDNEY: An Australian jury on Thursday (May 8) found two men guilty of murdering Cassius Turvey, a 15-year-old Indigenous boy whose killing sparked nationwide anti-racism protests. Turvey was attacked and beaten with a metal pole in October 2022 in the western city of Perth, the court heard. He died 10 days later in hospital. Jurors convicted the two men -- Jack Brearley and Brodie Palmer -- of his murder, papers from the Supreme Court of Western Australia showed. A third man, Mitchell Forth, was found guilty of manslaughter but cleared of murder. All three men got out of a pick-up truck and chased a group of teenagers that included Turvey, Australian public broadcaster ABC said. Brearley assaulted Turvey with a pole from a shopping trolley, the court heard. Prosecutors said Brearley was angry because someone had smashed his car windows -- though there was no suggestion Turvey was responsible, the ABC said. Some witnesses said the attackers had used racial slurs before the attack, but racism was not an alleged motive in the court proceedings. In the days after the killing, thousands of protesters held rallies and vigils around Australia. At the time, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the attack was racially motivated, describing it as a "terrible tragedy". Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face stark inequalities compared to other Australians, with shorter life expectancies, poorer health and education, and higher incarceration rates. A fourth person charged over Turvey's killing, Aleesha Gilmore, was cleared of both murder and manslaughter charges, court documents showed. - AFP
