Four people have denied murdering Indigenous Perth schoolboy Cassius Turvey and have been committed to stand trial in Western Australia's Supreme Court.
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.
Jack Brearley, 22, Aleesha Gilmore, 21, Mitchell Colin Forth, 25 and Brodie Lee Palmer, 28, all appeared in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court this morning, when they pleaded not guilty to all the charges they are facing.
They are accused of attacking 15-year-old Cassius, a Yamatji Noongar boy, as he walked with friends in the eastern Perth suburb of Middle Swan on October 13, 2022.
At the time, police said Cassius was assaulted with a metal pole, believed to be the handle of a shopping trolley.
It is alleged in the same incident, Mr Brearley, Mr Forth and Mr Palmer assaulted one of Cassius's friends, a 13-year-old boy, and stole his crutches and cap.
Ms Gilmore is also accused of assaulting the boy but is not charged with stealing.
Cassius spent five days in hospital before he was discharged, but hours later he suffered a seizure.
He was rushed back to hospital and placed in an induced coma, but he died on October 23 — 10 days after the alleged attack.
Cassius's brother and two cousins attended court accompanied by detectives.
Another teen assaulted
Mr Brearley was initially charged with unlawful wounding, but the count was upgraded to murder after Cassius's death.
Ms Gilmore, Mr Forth and Mr Palmer were charged in January this year, with police saying in a statement it would be alleged they were "in company" with Mr Brearley at the time.
Then in February, it was revealed that Mr Brearley, Ms Gilmore and Mr Forth, along with a fourth man, Ethan MacKenzie, 19, had been charged over the alleged detention and assault of another 15-year-old boy on October 9.
Police said that incident was alleged to have happened four days before Cassius was fatally injured and it involved the boy being punched, kicked, and stabbed.
It was further alleged the boy was taken to a house and detained before being released.
Accused face court via video link
Today all the accused appeared in court via video link from the various prisons they are being held at.
Mr Brearley appeared via video link from Casuarina Prison, Ms Gilmore from Greenough Regional Prison in the Mid West, and Mr Forth, Mr Palmer and Mr MacKenzie from different rooms at Hakea Prison.
Mr Brearley, Mr Forth and Mr Palmer appeared at the same time, with all the charges read to them before they each individually responded "not guilty Your Honour".
They were remanded in custody until they make their first appearance in the Supreme Court in July.
Before the pleas were entered, Mr Brearley's barrister Simon Waters said his client was "looking forward to his day in court".
Aleesha Gilmore appeared next, with the charges also read to her before she also responded "not guilty".
She pleaded not guilty to detaining the 15-year-old boy four days before Cassius was allegedly attacked, but she is not facing a charge of assaulting him.
Mr MacKenzie's case was adjourned for four weeks.
