Nunavut man found not guilty of murder in St. John's jury trial

A jury has found Patrick Sulurayok, 34, not guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Bernard Otuk on June 22, 2021.

Sulurayok stood trial for Otuk's death this month in Supreme Court in St. John's. The jury returned its verdict Friday afternoon, acquitting the Nunavut man in a case that depended heavily on eyewitness accounts to determine whether Sulurayok used too much force when reportedly trying to subdue Otuk.

Otuk's mother, Jackie Otuk, was present at the trial, and spoke with CBC News following the verdict, expressing her discontent at Friday's outcome.

"It's not fair at all. We waited 3½ years for this, and to get the wrong verdict. My son is six feet under. He never got the justice he should have gotten," Jackie Otuk said.

"His children at home, they wanted justice for their father. They didn't get it."

On the day of Otuk's death, Sulurayok and Otuk had just finished a 30-day stint working on a Baffin Fisheries vessel that was tied up in Bay Roberts at the time. Both men are from the Nunavut community of Arviat, on the western side of Hudson Bay.

They were staying in a rented cabin on Roaches Line, allegedly drinking alcohol and using cocaine, when a fight broke out.

Police arrived at the cabin and found 26-year-old Otuk unconscious. He was brought to a hospital in Carbonear where he was pronounced dead. Sulurayok was later charged with second-degree murder.

Jackie Otuk said sitting through the trial, which began in January, was physically and emotionally draining, and that the stress of waiting for the trial to happen has led to long-term effects for her and her family.

She said the family will continue the grieving process, but added it will be tough to return to her community of Arviat without the outcome they were looking for.

"The hardest part is to live in the same community with [Sulurayok]. It's going to be very hard," she said.

"I don't wish this upon anyone, any mother, at all. It's not fair. Not fair at all."

Sulurayok's lawyer, Bob Buckingham, argued Thursday that Otuk was the aggressor in the conflict between the two men, and when he attacked Sulurayok, Sulurayok tried to help him, not harm him.

"Patrick Sulurayok showed kindness. He showed concern and compassion. When Otuk stopped struggling, he tried to help. He provided CPR and pleaded with him to come back," Buckingham said.