After seven-year delay, Nunavut murder trial gets underway

After a seven-year delay, Peter Angutimarik’s second degree murder trial got underway at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit. (FILE PHOTO)

Nearly seven years after his 2009 arrest, an Igloolik man charged with the murder of his roommate finally went on trial Dec. 14 at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit.

Peter Angutimarik, now in his 30s, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of his roommate, Esa Angutiqjuaq — who was 19 when his throat was slit at home in the early morning of Feb. 28 2009.

Much of the delay has involved disputes over the admissibility of Angutimarik’s confession to police of killing Angutiqjuaq in the immediate aftermath of the murder.

Angutimarik has alleged that he was under stress from RCMP interrogations and confessed so he could return to his cell under the assumption that his innocence would be proven in time.

Angutimarik has also changed lawyers three times since he was charged, changes which caused scheduling delays.

But after voir dire hearings with psychological experts from the Crown and defence, Justice Neil Sharkey ruled the Feb. 2009 confession would be admitted as evidence.

“Voir dire” hearings are special court processes held to decide if certain pieces of evidence should be admitted in court.

On Monday, Angutimarik, wearing a blue tracksuit from the Baffin Correctional Centre, delivered a barely-audible “not guilty” plea to a charge of second-degree murder.

Crown lawyer Amy Porteous called Jonah Innuksuk, Angutiqjuaq’s cousin, to give evidence about the events leading to Angutiqjuaq’s death.

Innuksuk was the third roommate in the Igloolik home on the night of the attack, and found Angutiqjuaq after his throat had been cut.

Innuksuk has suffered from heart palpitations and anxiety attacks since the night of the murder, so a screen was placed between him and Angutimarik.

During his testimony, Innuksuk explained he had gone upstairs in the early morning of Feb. 28 after watching television with a friend, who later left, leaving Angutiqjuaq sleeping on the couch in the living room.

And before Innuksuk headed upstairs, he told the court he saw Angutimarik arrive home and go into the kitchen.

Innuksuk was in his room for “less than two hours” when Angutiqjuaq abruptly opened his door.

Angutiqjuaq was clutching his throat and bleeding profusely.

Innuksuk said he then looked for Angutimarik and found him in his room upstairs, in the dark, “laying on his belly, laying face first to the wall” on the bed.

Innuksuk then headed downstairs, where Innuksuk contacted emergency services.

Earlier in the day, the Crown entered evidence from a community nurse who responded to the emergency call.

According to her, the caller was in “pure panic, he was crying, he was very distraught.”

“Did you consider asking Peter for help?” Porteous asked Innuksuk.

“No. I was afraid,” responded Innuksuk.

“Why were you afraid of Peter that morning?” continued the Crown.

“I thought he might have been the one,” Innuksuk said.

Innuksuk told the Crown he “yelled and screamed at the top of his lungs and punched a hole in the wall” when Angutiqjuaq lost consciousness, which brought Angutimarik downstairs.

Angutiqjuaq eventually died from blood loss before emergency responders and police arrived.

Innuksuk later discovered a knife was missing from the kitchen, as well as rubber gloves in the trash bin that hadn’t been there before.

Police found the knife inside a closet in Angutiqjuaq’s room, placed in a box.

During cross-examination by defence lawyer Alison Crowe, Innuksuk admitted to having a conversation with Angutimarik after he came downstairs, but, due to shock, he could not remember what they discussed.

Crowe also asked Innuksuk if it was possible that Angutimarik, at some point, went to check if anyone was at the front door.

“Yes, that’s possible,” said Innuksuk.

“If Peter were to say that he saw you going upstairs, do you remember if you went upstairs after that?” asked Crowe.

Innuksuk replied that he didn’t return upstairs after Angutimarik came downstairs and police arrived.

“If Peter were to tell the court that he followed you upstairs and saw you in Esa’s room with rubber gloves on, putting two knifes inside a box… would you agree with that?” continued Crowe.

Innuksuk told the court he did not agree with any of that statement, and denied that he had anything to do with the attack on Angutiqjuaq.

“Jonah, I expect that Peter will give evidence in this trial when it’s the defence’s turn to lead this case. And I expect that he will say what I described earlier, that he went upstairs and saw you hiding the knives in the closet in Esa’s bedroom,” Crowe said before ending her cross-examination.

The Crown is expected to continue with her case on Dec. 15.

Angutimarik’s trial is expected to run for the rest of this week.