Man pleads not guilty to manslaughter in Iqaluit

An Iqaluit man accused of manslaughter pleaded not guilty, as what’s expected to be a five-day trial got underway in the Nunavut Court of Justice on Monday.

In June 2024, the RCMP charged Peter Toonoo, 40, with second-degree murder after an incident that led to the death of an Iqaluit resident, Jimmy Kownirk.

But on April 30, Crown prosecutor Philippe Plourde replaced the murder charge with manslaughter — unintentional homicide.

The incident allegedly occurred on June 5, 2024.

Kownirk was found with “severe injuries” and medevaced to Ottawa, where he died, according to the RCMP news release at the time.

Toonoo, a bearded man with long dark hair, appeared in court to face the charge. Justice Mark Mossey presided over the judge-only trial.

On Monday, the Crown began its case, calling on three witnesses, including Kownirk’s niece, Minnie Saqiqtaq.

She recalled coming to her uncle’s house on the night of the alleged incident with a few cans of beer.

Saqiqtaq testified that Kownirk was sleeping in his bedroom while a group of people was drinking in the living room. Saqiqtaq was part of that group. So was Toonoo — the accused — along with his mother, Iliya Toonoo, and her adult daughter Siuqjju Toonoo.

“[The Toonoos] were getting louder and louder,” Saqiqtaq said, responding to a question by Crown prosecutor Leo Lane.

Around 10 p.m., Saqiqtaq said she checked on her sleeping uncle, then went home, as the group started to drink bootlegged vodka and tried to “force” her to drink with them, she said.

However, about half an hour later, she received a message that somebody was “beating up” her uncle, she told the court.

She testified she came back to the house and saw her uncle injured and unconscious.

“I was angry. Cause they did something to my uncle,” she testified, referring to the Toonoos.

Siuqjju Toonoo also testified Monday, answering questions from Lane and defence lawyer Alan Regel. She spoke virtually from Ottawa.

“It was intense, because Peter was there,” she said of that evening. “Every five minutes he would get negative.”

Siuqjju Toonoo said that after Saqiqtaq left, Peter Toonoo and Kownirk started “wrestling” and “hitting each other.” As Siuqjju Toonoo tried to stop them, she got hit on the chest as well, she recalled.

She said she ran out of the house to ask for someone to call the police. Eventually the RCMP and ambulance arrived and police arrested Peter Toonoo and took Kownirk to the hospital, she said.

The third witness to testify Monday was Annie Davidee, a neighbour who said she was walking by the home and witnessed the fight. She will continue her testimony on Tuesday to be cross-examined by the defence.

The trial is set to continue with more witnesses testifying Tuesday.