Trial of Nunavut man accused of 2nd-degree murder begins in St. John's
Patrick Sulurayok was charged in 2021 after death of another Nunavut man near Makinsons
The trial of a Nunavut man accused of second-degree murder has started in St. John's.
Patrick Sulurayok, 34, appeared in Supreme Court Tuesday, accused of causing the death of another Nunavut man on June 22, 2021.
Both Sulurayok and Bernard Otuk were working on a Baffin Fisheries vessel that was tied up in Bay Roberts at the time.
They were staying in a rented cabin on Roaches Line, allegedly drinking alcohol and using cocaine, when a fight broke out.
Police were called to the cabin in the Conception Bay North area and found 26-year-old Otuk unconscious. He was brought to a hospital in Carbonear where he was pronounced dead.
In his opening remarks, Crown prosecutor Robert Roach said Sulurayok had Otuk in a chokehold before he died.
The Crown is arguing that Sulurayok's actions went beyond self-defence. Sulurayok's lawyers did not make opening remarks Tuesday.
Justice Peter Browne is the presiding judge for the trial, which is scheduled to last four weeks.
Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.