By Aaron Bunch
Four people accused of murdering teenager Cassius Turvey have formally pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Cassius, 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.
Cassius Turvey was 15 when he died. His family gave permission for his photo to be used.
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.
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, 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.
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 last year pleaded not guilty to murdering Cassius.
All remain in custody on remand.
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