Strong mobilization this Thursday, April 24 early in the morning for the exhumation of Jacquelin Steve Juliette’s body, at the Poudre-d’Or cemetery.
Me Nataraj Muneesamy, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Mes Rama Valayden and Anoup Goodary lawyers of the Juliette family, Sweta and Celina Juliette, Jacquelin’s sisters, were present.
This exhumation aims to make a counter autopsy of the deceased as part of the judicial investigation into his death shortly after being arrested.
In 2023, the death of 36-year-old Jacquelin Steeve Juliette had been attributed to heart problems. He was a resident of Cité Ste-Claire, Goodlands, who died a few hours after a violent arrest by the anti-drug squad (ADSU). Next evening, Steeve Juliette’s wife had filed a complaint for police brutality. However, an autopsy confirmed that the father of two had suffered a heart attack, ruling out any theory of malicious intent.
At the Juliette’s home, relatives insisted on a case of police brutality. Tensions remained palpable in Cité Ste-Claire. “Tou dimounn inn trouve linn gayn bate, aster pe dir in mor ek enn kriz kardiak?” said angry relatives. Jordan, one of the deceased’s brothers, emphasized that Jacquelin Steeve was not involved in drug trafficking. “My father died, my brother Jacquelin took over his shop.”
Jordan says that at the time of the anti-drug squad raid, Jacquelin was in his shop. He explains that the ADSU allegedly forced his brother to leave his business. “You shot him, you beat him. He was simply taken, he was taken, I’m sorry, I’m not here, I’m here.” Police officers, he says, forcibly put his brother into a van. “You really beat him in his intimate party after a lesser amount of time.”
Jacquelin was writhing in pain, but didn’t want to go to the hospital. According to Jordan, his brother told him how he was beaten. While telling his story, Jacquelin fainted and collapsed. He was rushed to the North Hospital, where doctors could only pronounce him dead in the emergency room.
Since then, this case has been open for Judicial inquiry and today his body will be exhumed for a new post-mortem to evaluate cause of death. Results awaited, let’s see whether police was at fault or it was a natural death.