After mistrial, accused killer elects for trial by judge alone
Judge delcared mistrial after first two days of jury trial were fraught with issues
The trial of a man in Sanikiluaq charged with killing his wife is continuing with a judge alone after the trial judge declared a mistrial of the jury trial on Wednesday. (File photo)
The circumstances leading to the mistrial were not discussed in front of the jury. Media are not allowed to report details that are discussed in the jury’s absence.
On Thursday, Crown and defence lawyers spent most of the day in a Sanikiluaq courtroom questioning the two RCMP police officers involved in the arrest of Danny Paul Eyaituk.
On April 19, 2024, Eyaituk, who was 38 at the time, was arrested after his wife Annie Tracy Oqaituq, 36, was found dead in their Sanikiluaq home.
His trial began on Tuesday.
Officers testified they went through Eyaituk’s home after his 2024 arrest and found drugs packaged for sale. RCMP Const. Kevin Bechard-Dube said he suspected Eyaituk was impaired that night. The officer said he smelled alcohol on Eyaituk’s breath, he slurred his words, but he wasn’t behaving drunk, Bechard-Dube testified.
At times, Eyaituk seemed “confused and sad,” RCMP Cpl. David Bitcharles testified.
Crown prosecutor Emma Baasch asked Bitcharles what he meant by “confused and sad.”
“After everything that happened, there was a lot of emotions — sadness — in Mr. Eyaituk’s expression.”
“Because of the gravity of what happened, the brain trying to comprehend what was going on, that’s what I meant by confused,” he added.
The day ended with Annie Tracy Oqaituq’s sister, Parsa Oqaituq, taking the stand. The night of the incident, she called the police to the home.
She told the judge both Eyaituk and Annie Tracy Oqsaituq dealt drugs out of the home. However, she said, her sister did not take drugs and wasn’t drunk that night.
Eyaituk was on cocaine, she said.
Defence lawyer Alan Regel questioned Parsa Oqaituq about Eyaituk’s mental health.
Parsa Oqaituq said she thought Eyaituk’s mental health was declining. She described having conversations with the her sister about him.
He would “see things that weren’t there” or “hear voices,” she told the court.
When the couple were drinking, she said, there would be violence.
Day four of the trial is scheduled Friday in Sanikiluaq.
(0) Comments