Indigenous teenager Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, had his life brutally cut short when he was chased into bushland and beaten to death in Perth’s eastern suburbs.
A Senseless Act of Violence
Cassius died 10 days after being struck in the head with a metal pole by Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 30, who were convicted of his murder in May. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, was found guilty of manslaughter.
Judge Peter Quinlan described Cassius as a natural-born leader with a sense of community that pointed to a bright future. “Cassius Turvey was robbed of his life and of his promise … all because you killed him, Mr. Brearley,” he said.
Racial Tensions
The attack on Cassius was racially motivated, with the killers using racial slurs to refer to him and other children he was with.
Judge Quinlan acknowledged that the fear of racism is real and legitimate, but also noted that the convicted killers were not monsters, rather humans informed by their life histories who had committed horrendous crimes.
A Mother’s Heartbreak
Cassius’s mother, Mechelle Turvey, described her son as a gentle giant who was unjustly taken from his family. “His death left a void that will never be filled,” she said.
A Complex Series of Events
The attack on Cassius followed a complex series of events that started on October 9, when Forth, Brearley, Gilmore, and another man allegedly “snatched two kids off the street” before punching, kicking, and stabbing one of them.
Four days later, Brearley and his co-accused allegedly armed themselves with metal poles and drove off to search for some youths.
Cassius and a group of about 20 fellow students caught a bus to the same area to watch a fight being talked about on social media.
Brearley, Forth, and Palmer intercepted them near a field, and Cassius and some other “terrified school kids” fled into bushland, where Brearley caught up with him and knocked him to the ground, hitting him in the head with a metal pole, causing bleeding in his brain.
Judge Quinlan is due to deliver the sentences later on Friday.
Support Services
If you or someone you know is affected by this story, please reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 13YARN on 13 92 76.