Accused recalls attacking, choking woman as attempted murder trial testimony ends

Laimiki Toonoo recalled attacking and choking a woman in Kinngait in 2021, as the attempted murder trial of him and his brother Archie Toonoo came to a close in Iqaluit Wednesday.

Defence lawyers Ilan Neuman and Matthew Shadley closed their case, with Laimiki Toonoo being the only one of the co-accused to testify in his own defence.

The brothers were charged following an October 2021 incident in Kinngait that left a woman with serious injuries requiring her to be medevaced to Iaqluit, Nunavut RCMP said at the time.

The trial started in Kinngait in February 2024, but after only a few days it was paused for nearly a year to resolve a question over evidence. Proceedings resumed Monday in Iqaluit.

The two men pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, but guilty to lesser charges for their roles in attacking the female victim: Archie Toonoo for assault causing bodily harm, and Laimiki Toonoo for aggravated assault.

On the witness stand, Laimiki Toonoo was questioned by Neuman, Shadley and Crown prosecutor Abel Dion about his recollection of the event.

Laimiki Toonoo said he has psychiatric issues which, for a long time, have required him to take medication.

He said that on the night of the incident, he and his brother and a female witness who testified Tuesday were drinking vodka. After it was finished, he and the witness tried to steal liquor from another house but were unsuccessful and returned home.

Soon afterward, an argument ensued between the witness and Archie Toonoo. While that happened, Laimiki Toonoo said he went searching for his pills.

“I got mad,” Laimiki Toonoo said, recalling that he couldn’t find his medication.

He recalled believing that the female victim, who was also home at the time, was hiding his pills from him.

“I took it out on her,” he said, describing how he attacked her with his hands, then used his arms and a phone charger to choke her to force her to say where his medications were hidden.

Laimiki Toonoo testified that Archie Toonoo took part in the initial assault, but that when he started to choke the victim, Archie Toonoo attempted to force him off of her.

The woman fell unconscious but was still breathing, Laimiki Toonoo recalled.

Dion tried to press Laimiki Toonoo on whether he and his brother conspired to hang the victim and make it look as though she died by suicide. Laimiki Toonoo denied doing that and said he only talked with his brother about where his medications were, before leaving the house.

Following Laimiki Toonoo’s testimony and after the defence rested its case, lawyers for both sides discussed how they would submit their written closing arguments.

Justice Christian Lyons adjourned the case to April 15, when he will set a date for a verdict to be delivered.

Both brothers remain in custody.