Jack Brearley and Brodie Palmer found guilty of murdering Indigenous schoolboy Cassius TurveyDBy David WeberTopic:Homicide1h ago1 hours agoThu 8 May 2025 at 3:29amCassius Turvey, 15, died after being assaulted in the Perth suburb of Middle Swan in October 2022.In short:Jack Brearley and Brodie Palmer have been found guilty of murdering 15-year-old Cassius Turvey, who was beaten with a metal pole in Perth in 2022.Cassius was attacked after school by a group seeking revenge for damage to Brearley’s car, with CCTV and dash-cam footage, including Brearley bragging about the attack, key to the case.A third man, Mitchell Forth, has been found guilty of manslaughter while the fourth accused, Aleesha Gilmore, was acquitted of both murder and manslaughter.abc.net.au/news/cassius-turvey-murder-trial-verdict-jack-brearley-brodie-palmer/105243022Link copiedShareShare articleTwo men have been found guilty of murdering Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey, who was chased into bushland and savagely beaten with a metal pole ripped from a shopping trolley.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.The 15-year-old died in hospital ten days after he suffered a head injury during the vicious assault in the Perth suburb of Middle Swan in October 2022.His death led to vigils and protests nationwide as thousands turned out to express their anguish and anger. While four people were charged with murdering the schoolboy, a jury has determined it was Jack Brearley and Brodie Palmer who were responsible for his murder.A third man, Mitchell Forth, has been found guilty of manslaughter.The fourth person, Aleesha Gilmore, was acquitted of both murder and manslaughter.After a 12 week trial, the jury took just over three days to arrive at their verdicts.None of the accused reacted as the verdicts were read out, but Forth appeared unwell and at one point was handed a sick bag.There were about 100 people in the courtroom, including security, legal counsel and media.While a woman was crying before the verdicts were handed down, there was little other emotion shown in the public gallery.One person applauded as the court was adjourned.Jack Brearley arrives home on the day he's alleged to have fatally assaulted the school boy. (Supplied: WA Supreme Court)CCTV and dash-cam recordings proved pivotal in the case, much of it from Brearley’s own house and Palmer’s vehicle, in which Brearley was captured discussing his desire for revenge after his car windows were smashed, and details of the crime itself.'He learnt his lesson'On the afternoon Cassius was attacked, Brearley, Forth and Palmer confronted a group of teenagers walking along a suburban street after school, including Cassius.The court was told Brearley was angry his car windows had been smashed the day before.The three men got out of Palmer's ute and a boy on crutches was assaulted before the rest of the group were chased across a field by Brearley.Brearley caught up to Cassius and attacked him with a trolley pole as he lay in nearby bushland.Vigils were held across the country when Cassius Turvey died in October 2022. (ABC News: Cason Ho)A key part of the prosecution's case was that Brearley could be heard on a phone call "bragging" about what he'd done."He was laying in the field and I was just smacking him with a trolley pole so hard, he learnt his lesson," he said on the call.Despite multiple hospital visits and surgery to relieve pressure on his brain, Cassius died 10 days later.'Collective stupidity'Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the court during the trial Brearley "deliberately beat up a kid and was pleased with himself", aided by his three co-accused."This was not just a one-man show," he said, describing it as the "collective stupidity" of "boofheads" egging each other on.The events leading up to the day Cassius was assaulted was described by the prosecution as "tit for tat" behaviour during which Brearley and the others targeted kids over relatively petty disputes.Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the court the four co-accused egged each other on. (ABC News: David Weber)And when Brearley's car windows were smashed, he was determined to find who was responsible."Somebody smashed my car, they're about to die," the then 21-year-old was heard saying shortly before Cassius was assaulted.There was no suggestion Cassius had any involvement in what happened to the car.Claiming self-defence Brearley claimed his assault on Cassius was self-defence after the teenager stabbed him in the leg, insisting it was Palmer who hit the boy with a trolley pole.Shopping trolleys without handles were found in an alley next to Jack Brearley's home after the incident. (Supplied: Supreme Court of Western Australia)But Palmer blamed Brearley, claiming he intervened to stop Brearley inflicting further blows before checking the bleeding boy was okay.And although she wasn't present when Cassius was attacked, the prosecution asserted Aleesha Gilmore was also part of the plan to find and attack the kids responsible for the window smashing and dish out "rough justice"."She's just as angry about this as Mr Brearley," Mr Stanwix told the jury."This is vigilante violence pure and simple."Aleesha Gilmore at her home in Middle Swan in Perth on the day Cassius Turvey was fatally injured. (Supplied: WA Supreme Court)In the end, the jury cleared Ms Gilmore and did not believe Palmer's claims he was not the killer.Race was not alleged to have been a motive in the attack, but some teenage witnesses testified that racial slurs were used by the accused in the lead-up to the fatal assault on Cassius.The trolley pole used in the attack was never found.Palmer's lawyer Christian Porter and prosecutor Ben Stanwix did not make any comment while leaving court after the verdicts were delivered.A sentencing hearing is set for June 26.LoadingPosted 1h ago1 hours agoThu 8 May 2025 at 3:29am, updated 14m ago14 minutes agoThu 8 May 2025 at 4:17amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top Stories'Children at the grown-ups' table': Liberal insiders reveal a catastrophic campaignTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows Backlit photo of a Dutton press conference, his silhouette centred in front of a microphone'Cooperative' Erin Patterson helped police find beef Wellington leftovers in bin, court hears LIVEPhoto shows A digital drawing of Erin Patterson wearing a pink shirtAustralia's best sports rights in the hands of a Soviet-born, former oil tycoonTopic:Media IndustryMacquarie Bank's dodgy trading may be 'tip of the iceberg' for industryTopic:BankingPhoto shows The exterior of a Macquarie Bank building, fit with the company's white circular ring logoGreens leader Adam Bandt concedes Melbourne seat after 15-year careerLIVEPhoto shows Close-up of Adam bandt Related stories'Love triangle' set off events ending in Cassius Turvey's death, trial toldTopic:HomicidePhoto shows A young boy wearing a basketball singlet smiles for the camera. 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