Indigenous teen's accused murderers plead not guilty

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised the following article contains images and names of a person who has died.

Four people accused of murdering an Indigenous teenager have formally pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Cassius Turvey, a 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy, died in a Perth hospital 10 days after an incident as he walked home from school with friends on October 13, 2022.

Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, Mitchell Colin Forth, 26, Jack Steven James Brearley, 23, and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 22, pleaded not guilty in the WA Supreme Court on Monday.

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Chief Justice Peter Quinlan will preside over the high-profile trial that is scheduled to start on February 10, with the matter returning to court for pre-trial hearings on January 30 and 31.

The group was also arraigned over several other charges they are facing at the trial.

Brearley, Forth and another man named Ethan Robert MacKenzie, 20, pleaded not guilty to unlawfully detaining and assaulting another boy on October 9, 2022. MacKenzie will stand trial at the same time as the other accused. Gilmore denied unlawfully detaining the same teen on that day.

Brearley, Forth, Gilmore and MacKenzie denied unlawfully detaining a third person on that day.

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Forth pleaded guilty to stealing a hat and crutches on October 13, 2022. Brearley and Palmer denied the stealing charge. Brearly, Palmer, Forth and Gilmore also denied assaulting another person on that day.

Cassius has been remembered as a loving son and a role model to his friends. He had started his own lawn-mowing business and was invited at the age of 11 to deliver an acknowledgement of country at WA's parliament.

Palmer, Forth, Brearley and Gilmore previously pleaded not guilty to murdering Cassius in a lesser court in 2023.

All remain in custody.

For 24/7 crisis support run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).