An eyewitness has testified at the murder trial of a Nunavut man in St. John's about how an angry conflict erupted before another Nunavut man ended up unconscious on the floor.

Nathan Kavaga Amarudjuak was in the room when a fight broke out between Bernard Otuk, 26, and Patrick Sulurayok, 34, on June 22, 2021.

All three men are from Nunavut and were crew members on a Baffin Fisheries vessel that was tied up in Bay Roberts. They were staying in a rented cabin on Roaches Line when the fight happened.

Amarudjuak said Otuk was intoxicated when he met him that evening. He said Otuk continued to drink beer and became increasingly angry while speaking about his ex-girlfriend and his grandmother, who had recently been hit by a vehicle.

He said Sulurayok drank a few bottles of beer that evening and Sulurayok and Otuk each did a line of cocaine.

Amarudjuak said he and Sulurayok tried to calm Otuk but it didn't work. He said Otuk first shoved Sulurayok and then grabbed him by his collar. Still standing, they held onto each other and argued.

Nathan Amarudjuak, 38, of Nunavut, testified at the second-degree murder trial of Patrick Sulurayok in St. John's (Facebook)

Tried to stop the fight

Amarudjuak said he tried to get between the two fighting men but he was pushed away. He sat down and rolled a joint of marijuana and invited them to join him outside, but they didn't.

After smoking a joint, he looked into the room and told them to stop again, but they ignored him.

He said he smoked another two joints outside before he heard Sulurayok calling his name.

"He sounded like he was afraid, and when I went in he was distraught," Amarudjuak said in Inuktitut. He answered most questions in English but sometimes used a translator.

Amarudjuak said when he entered the room he saw Sulurayok doing CPR on Otuk. The witness told the court he ran to look for help and found another crew member, who called 911.

When police arrived they found Otuk unresponsive. He was rushed to hospital in Carbonear where he was pronounced dead.

Sulurayok was charged with second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Self-defence?

Crown lawyer Robert Roach said during his opening remarks Tuesday that Sulurayok put Otuk in a chokehold after Otuk was aggressive with him.

Roach said jurors will have to consider the limits of self defence.

"We will argue that, yes, he went too far," he said.

Sulurayok's lawyers have not made opening remarks yet. They are expected to cross-examine Amarudjuak Friday.

Justice Peter Browne is presiding over the jury trial that's scheduled to continue until mid-February.

A fourth crew member who was also in the room during the fight is expected to testify next week.