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The Advertiser
08-05-2025
- The Advertiser
'They can just rot': teen's murderers face life in jail
Two men convicted of murdering an Indigenous teen who was chased into bushland and bashed with a metal pole face life sentences, with the boy's mother saying the pair can rot behind bars. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old following a three-month trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, was convicted of manslaughter and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury on Thursday. Outside the court after the jury delivered its unanimous verdict, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and Palmer the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her that police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after they were read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son, and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him, and along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed. Palmer in turn denied Brearley's account as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. His death shocked the community and the attack was described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and others as racially motivated, although Mr Stanwix said this wasn't the case. Lead investigator Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Cleal said Cassius was a boy who went to school and didn't make it home. "Cassius was completely innocent ... this was not his fault," he said. WA Premier Roger Cook said he hoped the guilty verdicts provided justice and closure for Cassius' family. "This is a dreadful, horrible experience, a very violent experience, and Cassius has left us," he said. "We're deeply saddened and disturbed by the accounts of that crime." The men will be sentenced on June 26 and face mandatory life sentences under WA law. Two men convicted of murdering an Indigenous teen who was chased into bushland and bashed with a metal pole face life sentences, with the boy's mother saying the pair can rot behind bars. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old following a three-month trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, was convicted of manslaughter and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury on Thursday. Outside the court after the jury delivered its unanimous verdict, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and Palmer the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her that police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after they were read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son, and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him, and along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed. Palmer in turn denied Brearley's account as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. His death shocked the community and the attack was described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and others as racially motivated, although Mr Stanwix said this wasn't the case. Lead investigator Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Cleal said Cassius was a boy who went to school and didn't make it home. "Cassius was completely innocent ... this was not his fault," he said. WA Premier Roger Cook said he hoped the guilty verdicts provided justice and closure for Cassius' family. "This is a dreadful, horrible experience, a very violent experience, and Cassius has left us," he said. "We're deeply saddened and disturbed by the accounts of that crime." The men will be sentenced on June 26 and face mandatory life sentences under WA law. Two men convicted of murdering an Indigenous teen who was chased into bushland and bashed with a metal pole face life sentences, with the boy's mother saying the pair can rot behind bars. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old following a three-month trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, was convicted of manslaughter and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury on Thursday. Outside the court after the jury delivered its unanimous verdict, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and Palmer the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her that police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after they were read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son, and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him, and along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed. Palmer in turn denied Brearley's account as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. His death shocked the community and the attack was described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and others as racially motivated, although Mr Stanwix said this wasn't the case. Lead investigator Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Cleal said Cassius was a boy who went to school and didn't make it home. "Cassius was completely innocent ... this was not his fault," he said. WA Premier Roger Cook said he hoped the guilty verdicts provided justice and closure for Cassius' family. "This is a dreadful, horrible experience, a very violent experience, and Cassius has left us," he said. "We're deeply saddened and disturbed by the accounts of that crime." The men will be sentenced on June 26 and face mandatory life sentences under WA law. Two men convicted of murdering an Indigenous teen who was chased into bushland and bashed with a metal pole face life sentences, with the boy's mother saying the pair can rot behind bars. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old following a three-month trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, was convicted of manslaughter and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury on Thursday. Outside the court after the jury delivered its unanimous verdict, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and Palmer the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her that police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after they were read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son, and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him, and along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed. Palmer in turn denied Brearley's account as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. His death shocked the community and the attack was described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and others as racially motivated, although Mr Stanwix said this wasn't the case. Lead investigator Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Cleal said Cassius was a boy who went to school and didn't make it home. "Cassius was completely innocent ... this was not his fault," he said. WA Premier Roger Cook said he hoped the guilty verdicts provided justice and closure for Cassius' family. "This is a dreadful, horrible experience, a very violent experience, and Cassius has left us," he said. "We're deeply saddened and disturbed by the accounts of that crime." The men will be sentenced on June 26 and face mandatory life sentences under WA law.
Perth Now
08-05-2025
- Perth Now
'They can just rot': teen's murderers face life in jail
Two men convicted of murdering an Indigenous teen who was chased into bushland and bashed with a metal pole face life sentences, with the boy's mother saying the pair can rot behind bars. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old following a three-month trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, was convicted of manslaughter and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury on Thursday. Outside the court after the jury delivered its unanimous verdict, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and Palmer the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her that police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after they were read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son, and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him, and along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed. Palmer in turn denied Brearley's account as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. His death shocked the community and the attack was described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and others as racially motivated, although Mr Stanwix said this wasn't the case. Lead investigator Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Cleal said Cassius was a boy who went to school and didn't make it home. "Cassius was completely innocent ... this was not his fault," he said. WA Premier Roger Cook said he hoped the guilty verdicts provided justice and closure for Cassius' family. "This is a dreadful, horrible experience, a very violent experience, and Cassius has left us," he said. "We're deeply saddened and disturbed by the accounts of that crime." The men will be sentenced on June 26 and face mandatory life sentences under WA law.
The Advertiser
08-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Justice for murdered teen Cassius as men found guilty
Justice has been served for the murder of an Indigenous teenager who was chased into bushland and beaten to death with a metal pole. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. In front of a packed courtroom on Thursday, Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old after three days of deliberations. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, who was also on trial in the West Australian Supreme Court for Cassius' murder, was convicted of manslaughter. Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury of eight men and four women following a three-month trial that heard from 91 witnesses. Outside court, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and another person the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with some family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after it was read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. "I'm happy with everything else, three months of hell during this trial, listening to all the amount of lies that have been put forward." Ms Turvey thanked her family, supporters, investigators and the 91 witnesses who gave evidence during the three-month trial. "Most of them were young children that are scarred for life, that helped my son on the day," she said. "Not like Brodie Palmer saying that he helped my son. He did f*** all." Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him and, along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed, which he in turn denied as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Before the fatal attack, Brearley and his co-accused armed themselves with metal poles pulled from shopping trolleys before driving off to search for youths. About the same time, Cassius and a group of about 20 fellow students caught a bus to the same area to watch a fight being talked about on social media. Brearley, Forth and Palmer intercepted them near the field and in a series of incidents, Brearley was allegedly slashed with a knife and another boy was struck in the face with a metal pole. Cassius and some other "terrified school kids" fled into nearby bushland. "Cassius didn't make it as far as the fence when the accused Brearley caught up with him," Mr Stanwix said. "He was caught, knocked to the ground and deliberately struck to the head with a metal pole." Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. Ethan Robert MacKenzie, 20, also faced trial accused of "snatching two kids off the street", and unlawfully detaining them, punching, kicking and stabbing one of them. The five defendants variously faced 21 charges over the events of October 9 and 13. The jury found them guilty of all except Gilmore's murder charge, and a stealing charge faced by Brearley. At a separate bail application hearing later on Thursday, MacKenzie and Gilmore were denied bail and ordered to remain in custody until their sentencing. The five offenders will be sentenced on June 26. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Justice has been served for the murder of an Indigenous teenager who was chased into bushland and beaten to death with a metal pole. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. In front of a packed courtroom on Thursday, Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old after three days of deliberations. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, who was also on trial in the West Australian Supreme Court for Cassius' murder, was convicted of manslaughter. Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury of eight men and four women following a three-month trial that heard from 91 witnesses. Outside court, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and another person the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with some family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after it was read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. "I'm happy with everything else, three months of hell during this trial, listening to all the amount of lies that have been put forward." Ms Turvey thanked her family, supporters, investigators and the 91 witnesses who gave evidence during the three-month trial. "Most of them were young children that are scarred for life, that helped my son on the day," she said. "Not like Brodie Palmer saying that he helped my son. He did f*** all." Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him and, along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed, which he in turn denied as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Before the fatal attack, Brearley and his co-accused armed themselves with metal poles pulled from shopping trolleys before driving off to search for youths. About the same time, Cassius and a group of about 20 fellow students caught a bus to the same area to watch a fight being talked about on social media. Brearley, Forth and Palmer intercepted them near the field and in a series of incidents, Brearley was allegedly slashed with a knife and another boy was struck in the face with a metal pole. Cassius and some other "terrified school kids" fled into nearby bushland. "Cassius didn't make it as far as the fence when the accused Brearley caught up with him," Mr Stanwix said. "He was caught, knocked to the ground and deliberately struck to the head with a metal pole." Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. Ethan Robert MacKenzie, 20, also faced trial accused of "snatching two kids off the street", and unlawfully detaining them, punching, kicking and stabbing one of them. The five defendants variously faced 21 charges over the events of October 9 and 13. The jury found them guilty of all except Gilmore's murder charge, and a stealing charge faced by Brearley. At a separate bail application hearing later on Thursday, MacKenzie and Gilmore were denied bail and ordered to remain in custody until their sentencing. The five offenders will be sentenced on June 26. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Justice has been served for the murder of an Indigenous teenager who was chased into bushland and beaten to death with a metal pole. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. In front of a packed courtroom on Thursday, Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old after three days of deliberations. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, who was also on trial in the West Australian Supreme Court for Cassius' murder, was convicted of manslaughter. Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury of eight men and four women following a three-month trial that heard from 91 witnesses. Outside court, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and another person the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with some family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after it was read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. "I'm happy with everything else, three months of hell during this trial, listening to all the amount of lies that have been put forward." Ms Turvey thanked her family, supporters, investigators and the 91 witnesses who gave evidence during the three-month trial. "Most of them were young children that are scarred for life, that helped my son on the day," she said. "Not like Brodie Palmer saying that he helped my son. He did f*** all." Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him and, along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed, which he in turn denied as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Before the fatal attack, Brearley and his co-accused armed themselves with metal poles pulled from shopping trolleys before driving off to search for youths. About the same time, Cassius and a group of about 20 fellow students caught a bus to the same area to watch a fight being talked about on social media. Brearley, Forth and Palmer intercepted them near the field and in a series of incidents, Brearley was allegedly slashed with a knife and another boy was struck in the face with a metal pole. Cassius and some other "terrified school kids" fled into nearby bushland. "Cassius didn't make it as far as the fence when the accused Brearley caught up with him," Mr Stanwix said. "He was caught, knocked to the ground and deliberately struck to the head with a metal pole." Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. Ethan Robert MacKenzie, 20, also faced trial accused of "snatching two kids off the street", and unlawfully detaining them, punching, kicking and stabbing one of them. The five defendants variously faced 21 charges over the events of October 9 and 13. The jury found them guilty of all except Gilmore's murder charge, and a stealing charge faced by Brearley. At a separate bail application hearing later on Thursday, MacKenzie and Gilmore were denied bail and ordered to remain in custody until their sentencing. The five offenders will be sentenced on June 26. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Justice has been served for the murder of an Indigenous teenager who was chased into bushland and beaten to death with a metal pole. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was "deliberately struck to the head" in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage. In front of a packed courtroom on Thursday, Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old after three days of deliberations. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, who was also on trial in the West Australian Supreme Court for Cassius' murder, was convicted of manslaughter. Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury of eight men and four women following a three-month trial that heard from 91 witnesses. Outside court, Cassius' mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and another person the night he was attacked. "My son died for absolutely nothing," she said, with some family and supporters chanting "justice for Cassius". "His life was taken. He was hunted down for days ... 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever." Ms Turvey said it was a "sore point" for her police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury. Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was "numb with relief" after it was read. "Justice to me will never be served because I don't have my son and he's not coming back ... they can just rot as far as I'm concerned," she said. "I'm happy with everything else, three months of hell during this trial, listening to all the amount of lies that have been put forward." Ms Turvey thanked her family, supporters, investigators and the 91 witnesses who gave evidence during the three-month trial. "Most of them were young children that are scarred for life, that helped my son on the day," she said. "Not like Brodie Palmer saying that he helped my son. He did f*** all." Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him and, along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day. Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed, which he in turn denied as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial. Before the fatal attack, Brearley and his co-accused armed themselves with metal poles pulled from shopping trolleys before driving off to search for youths. About the same time, Cassius and a group of about 20 fellow students caught a bus to the same area to watch a fight being talked about on social media. Brearley, Forth and Palmer intercepted them near the field and in a series of incidents, Brearley was allegedly slashed with a knife and another boy was struck in the face with a metal pole. Cassius and some other "terrified school kids" fled into nearby bushland. "Cassius didn't make it as far as the fence when the accused Brearley caught up with him," Mr Stanwix said. "He was caught, knocked to the ground and deliberately struck to the head with a metal pole." Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain. Ethan Robert MacKenzie, 20, also faced trial accused of "snatching two kids off the street", and unlawfully detaining them, punching, kicking and stabbing one of them. The five defendants variously faced 21 charges over the events of October 9 and 13. The jury found them guilty of all except Gilmore's murder charge, and a stealing charge faced by Brearley. At a separate bail application hearing later on Thursday, MacKenzie and Gilmore were denied bail and ordered to remain in custody until their sentencing. The five offenders will be sentenced on June 26. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
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
Perth Now
03-05-2025
- Perth Now
Over to jury after mammoth Cassius Turvey murder trial
Hours of video footage captured before and after an Indigenous teenager was fatally bashed have been instrumental in framing the prosecution case against his four accused murderers. Cassius Turvey, a 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy, died 10 days after he was chased, knocked to the ground and "deliberately struck to the head" with a metal pole in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022. Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, her then-boyfriend Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and his mates, Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, and Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, are on trial in the West Australian Supreme Court for Cassius' murder. Prosecutor Ben Stanwix says Brearley delivered the fatal blows while "hunting for kids" because somebody smashed his car windows, and alleges Forth and Palmer aided him and, along with Gilmore, shared a common purpose. Brearley denies wielding the pole, saying he only punched Cassius after the teen knifed him. He says it was Palmer who bashed him with it, which Palmer denies. Dozens of CCTV video clips were played for the jury during the mammoth 12-week trial, including hours of footage recorded by motion-activated camera at the home Gilmore shared with Brearley and her family. The prosecution alleges some reels show the group with weapons including knuckle dusters, a baseball bat, an axe and shopping trolley parts. "Somebody smashed my car and they're about to die," Brearley is accused of saying in one video. The same camera also captured Gilmore's mother discussing by phone the attack on Cassius in the hours after the incident. Prosecutors say Brearley was bragging on the other end of the call, with a voice heard saying, "He was lying in a field and I was smacking him with a trolley pole so hard." Brearley denies it. He also insists it wasn't him mocking Cassius when the voice mimics the teen saying, "I'm so sorry, don't hurt me." Yet he agreed during his week in the witness box that he and Palmer re-enacted the bashing after the alleged incident, which was also recorded on CCTV, and blamed each other for the murder. Palmer told the jury he was "full of piss" the day Cassius was targeted and waited in his ute near when Brearley ran into bushland with a pole after a group of teens including Cassius. He said Brearley yelled for help and said he'd been stabbed, and that when he walked into the scrub, he found Brearley standing over a blood-covered Cassius. Brearley's version is that he chased Cassius towards a creek and after the teen slowed and tripped on a piece of wire, the pair ended up in the dirt. He told the jury Cassius stabbed him in the leg with a steak knife and he tried to flee but the teen held on to him, so he punched him. He said he landed two blows on Cassius's face and called out to Palmer because he had been stabbed. Brearley, who is also accused of trying to frame another man for the alleged murder, said Palmer, whom he allegedly sold drugs for, appeared on the scene with a shopping trolley handle and was the one who hit Cassius. But a murder weapon has not been found. In one police interview, Brearley told detectives there were 20 armed "kids" mouthing off at him and he ran at them. He said he chased "the fat one" and that after he punched him three times, Cassius cried and pleaded with him to stop and apologised over the alleged knifing, but his version of events changed as the interview wore on. Prosecutors say it was another teen who slashed Brearley's leg and his attack on Cassius was a fury-filled, vengeful act of vigilante violence. CCTV recorded outside Palmer's house in the hours before Cassius was bashed shows the accused murderers drinking alcohol before climbing into Palmer's "monster" ute and leaving. The court was told they drove to Gilmore's home after her younger brothers messaged her about social media threats they received about a potential home invasion, with calls for them to meet in a nearby park for a fight. Palmer, Brearley, Forth and Gilmore later drove to a train and bus station to look for the teens Brearley believed were behind the threats and damage to his car. About the same time, Cassius and a large group of fellow students were on a bus to a field near Gilmore's home to watch a fight being talked about on social media. CCTV on the bus showed him dressed in a green school uniform t-shirt and dark shorts with a black backpack. He's tall and calm and stands quietly near the rear doors with his right hand wrapped around a yellow pole to steady himself. He appears deep in thought as the group of students chat with each other around him. Cameras on buildings and in the bus recorded Cassius and the group stepping off at a stop about the same time Palmer allegedly drives his ute with his co-accused past. In the minutes that follow, as the students walk down a street, Gilmore leaves Brearley, Palmer and Forth after an argument. Prosecutors say the three men then confronted Cassius' group before he was attacked. A witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury he was among the teens. Then 13, he said he ran into bushland in fear of the men and that after crossing a creek, he looked back and spotted his "close mate" Cassius get hit by a man with a description matching Brearley. The teen said Cassius, who suffered brain bleeds consistent with blunt force trauma, was bleeding from the side of his head and crying in pain. He was laid to rest just over a month later by hundreds of mourners, who celebrated his life. Dashcam footage taken in a nearby car park later showed Cassius lying on the ground near an ambulance stretcher with a security guard helping him. The trial has also shown video recorded at Gilmore's home that prosecutors described as the "13 minutes of mayhem". In it, Gilmore allegedly said: "The little c**t just got f**king bashed" and Forth allegedly said: "F**k. We done it" and "let's go back there and f**k everyone of them up". It was followed by Brearley, who allegedly said: "I bashed the c**t on crutches and in the bush" before he said "I'm not going to jail". The trial continues with Chief Justice Peter Quinlan giving the jury directions on Friday prior to its retirement.
