Cassius Turvey’s mother shares words after the trial outcome: ‘May his memory endure'

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Warning: This article contains the name and images of an Indigenous person who has died and details about violence.

Mechelle Turvey screamed “justice” as she exited the WA Supreme Court on Thursday — a cry of relief and grief after the jury found two men guilty of murdering her son, 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji teenager Cassius Turvey.

“I am happy with the verdict,” she said outside court. “Three months of hell, during this trial. My son died for absolutely nothing. He was hunted down for days.”

A woman with brown hair wearing a colourful cardigan

Mechelle Turvey, the mother of Cassius Turvey, leaving the Supreme Court of WA in Perth earlier this year. Source: AAP / Richard Wainwright

“Justice to me will never be served — because I don’t have my son. And he’s not coming back.”

‘I want to thank all of Australia’

After 12 weeks of evidence, including numerous CCTV footage and emotional eyewitness testimony, the jury found Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, guilty of murdering Cassius.

Another man, 27-year-old Mitchell Colin Forth, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Brearley’s then-girlfriend, 23-year-old Aleesha Louise Gilmore, was acquitted of both charges.

Turvey broke down sobbing in court as the first guilty verdict was read aloud.

At least one juror appeared visibly moved by her reaction. The accused remained emotionless, including Gilmore, who was acquitted.

“I want to thank all of Australia — people that don’t even know us — for their love and support,” Turvey said.

“And to the witnesses, most of them young and now scarred for life … they helped my son on the day.”

The trial

The court heard the four accused were heading to Gilmore’s house after her younger brothers received social media messages warning of a possible home invasion and inviting them to a fight at a nearby park.

Palmer, Brearley, Forth and Gilmore then drove to a nearby train and bus station to look for teenagers Brearley believed had damaged his car and made the threats.

Around the same time, Cassius was on a bus with a large group of students, heading to a field near Gilmore’s home to watch a fight being circulated on social media.

CCTV from the bus showed him quietly standing near the rear doors, dressed in a green school uniform shirt and dark shorts, appearing deep in thought as others chatted around him.

Footage later captured the students stepping off the bus just as Palmer’s ute drove past. Minutes later, Gilmore leaves Brearley, Palmer and Forth after an argument. Prosecutors say the trio then confronted Cassius’ group.

Cassius Turvey died in hospital 10 days after he was attacked in Perth’s eastern suburbs. Credit: AAP

A teenage witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury he fled into nearby bushland in fear but looked back to see Cassius struck by a man matching Brearley’s description.

Cassius was left bleeding from the head and crying out in pain. He died 10 days later from brain injuries consistent with blunt force trauma.

Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the court Brearley was enraged over smashed car windows and set out to “hunt for kids” he believed were responsible.

The jury was shown CCTV of Brearley outside Gilmore’s house, allegedly saying: “Someone smashed my car windows — they are about to die.”

Cassius had no involvement in the earlier vandalism, and prosecutors argued he was tragically misidentified and fatally caught in the attack.

Brearley was accused of chasing Cassius, knocking him to the ground, and striking him with a metal pole taken from a shopping trolley.

Palmer was accused of helping, while Gilmore and Forth were alleged to have shared a common intent to harm.

Brearley denied using the pole, claiming he only punched Cassius after being stabbed — a claim not supported by one teen witness, who said they saw no knife.

Brearley’s defence blamed Palmer for the fatal blow, which Palmer denied. Palmer claimed he arrived after the attack.

Forth told the jury he had no role in the violence, while Gilmore’s lawyer argued she wasn’t present and didn’t share any intent to harm.

A memorial dedicated to Cassius Turvey was unveiled on his favourite day, Halloween, in 2023. Credit: Facebook

The jury ultimately rejected Brearley and Palmer’s defences. They found Brearley and Palmer guilty of murder, and Forth guilty of manslaughter. Gilmore was cleared of all charges relating to Cassius’ death.

Throughout the trial, the jury heard from 91 witnesses and reviewed hours of CCTV footage — some retrieved from the Gilmore family home — which prosecutors argued showed the lead-up and aftermath of the attack.

The jury also considered several related charges from incidents in the days leading up to Cassius’ death.

They found Brearley, Forth, and Gilmore guilty of unlawfully detaining a boy, with the added aggravation that a child was present.

Brearley and Forth were also found guilty of assaulting another teenager, and along with Gilmore, of unlawfully detaining that same boy.

‘A gentle giant’

On the day of Cassius’s attack, Brearley, Palmer, Forth, and Gilmore were found guilty of assaulting a different teenager.

Palmer was also found guilty of stealing items — including crutches and a hat — from one of the teens.

Chief Justice Peter Quinlan had reminded jurors at the outset to base their verdicts solely on the evidence and not be influenced by public commentary or media coverage.

Eighteen jurors were enlisted to allow for the length of the proceedings, with 12 ultimately deciding the verdicts.

Sentencing has been set for 26 June.

A group of people posing for a photo holding up signs and wearing tv shirts with messages of support, outside a court building.

Mechelle Turvey is flanked by family and friends outside court — the same loved ones who stood by her through every day of the harrowing three-month trial, and by her side throughout the final week as the jury deliberated. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan

As she stood outside court with her family, Mechelle Turvey said her son’s spirit would live on.

“He was a gentle giant, one that helped everyone. He had no judgemental bone in his beautiful body,” she said.

“His spirit and legacy go along with all his friends, the things that Cassius used to do.

“I’m taking it one day at a time, getting myself to be the best version of me. I know how to swim. I know how to sink. But I feel very light in my heart today.”

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