Cassius Turvey: Brodie Lee Palmer, Mitchell Colin Forth, Jack Steven James Brearley and Aleesha Louise Gilmore deny murdering a teenager
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are cautioned that this story contains images of people who have died.
Four people accused of fatally beating Perth Indigenous teenager Cassius Turvey have pleaded not guilty to the murder and face trial.
Cassius, a 15-year-old boy from Noongar Yamatji, was allegedly followed and attacked with a metal pole while walking home from school with friends on October 13, 2022.
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He suffered serious head injuries and died in hospital ten days later, sparking an outburst of grief and anger across the country, with some Indigenous leaders condemning the alleged attack as cowardly and racist.
Brodie Lee Palmer, 28, Mitchell Colin Forth, 25, Jack Steven James Brearley, 22, and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 21, have been charged with murder.
They appeared briefly via video feed at Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where they pleaded not guilty.
Brearley, Forth, and Palmer also denied assaulting another teenager and stealing a baseball cap and crutches from him on the same day Cassius was allegedly assaulted. Gilmore is accused of assaulting the same boy and pleaded not guilty.
Brearley and Forth and another man named Ethan Robert MacKenzie, 19, are also accused of arresting and injuring another 15-year-old boy in the days leading up to the Cassius attack.
The teenager was reportedly chased and beaten, kicked and stabbed on October 9 before being taken to a home where he was held for a time.
Brearley and Forth pleaded not guilty to both counts on Wednesday and Gilmore pleaded not guilty to arresting the boy.
Brearley emerged from Casuarina Prison in south Perth and Palmer, Forth and MacKenzie emerged from Hakea Prison. Gilmore was held in Greenough Regional Prison, about 400 km north of Perth.
Brearley was charged in October before Palmer, Forth, MacKenzie and Gilmore were charged in January.
Brearley, Palmer, Forth and Gilmore have been remanded in custody for their first Supreme Court appearance until July 31, when a trial date is expected to be set.
MacKenzie was remanded in custody ahead of a mention on June 21.
Cassius was remembered by his friends as a loving son and role model. He had started his own lawn mower business and at the age of 11 was invited to deliver a tribute to his country before the WA Parliament.
Some members of his family appeared in court on Wednesday but refused to speak to the media.
First Nations people seeking mental health support as a result of the content of this story should contact the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander support hotline 13YARN on 13 92 76 or 13yarn.org.au.
