The trial of a Fort Liard woman who admits to killing her partner but denies it was intentional started in Yellowknife Monday.
Selena Lomen's second-degree murder trial in the NWT Supreme Court is expected to last three weeks.
Lomen plead guilty to the lesser crime of manslaughter for stabbing her partner Danny Klondike to death in Fort Liard on Oct. 28, 2018, but the Crown did not accept her plea.
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Francine Kotchea took the stand as the trialSA国际影视传媒檚 first witness.
On the night of the attack, Kotchea made the call to to report LomenSA国际影视传媒檚 assault.
Kotchea lives in the house next to the one Klondike and Lomen shared. On Oct. 28 she told the court that she had fallen asleep on the couch when she heard a loud banging on the door. At first the banging was coming from her neighbourSA国际影视传媒檚 house, where Lomen and Klondike resided, but later the knocking was on her own front door.
When she answered, Lomen stood on the other side of the door covered in blood. She told Kotchea to call the health centre because she had SA国际影视传媒渟tabbed Danny.SA国际影视传媒�
Kotchea called the health centre and then the while her common law partner Douglas Bertrand went next door to retrieve Lomen and KlondikeSA国际影视传媒檚 baby.
Kotchea told the court that when Bertrand arrived at the residence Klondike appeared to still be conscious. When he came out with the baby, he seemed to no longer be breathing.
She told the court that there was a Halloween party that night and that a lot of people were drinking. In defence lawyer Peter HarteSA国际影视传媒檚 cross-examination, Kotchea said Lomen must have been drinking because SA国际影视传媒渋f she wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 under the influence of alcohol, she wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have stabbed Danny.SA国际影视传媒� Though, she said that Lomen did not smell of alcohol, nor did she appear to be slurring her speech.
Leanne Nande and Robert Duntra share a duplex with Kotchea in Fort Liard.
They told the court Monday that they were also awoken by the banging on the night of the assault.
Nande told the court it was so loud that she thought it was on her unit. When she opened the door she saw Lomen at KotcheaSA国际影视传媒檚. Nande testified that she heard Lomen tell Kotchea SA国际影视传媒淒annySA国际影视传媒檚 goneSA国际影视传媒� before taking off running towards the street.
She told the court that she then went back inside to tell Duntra what she heard. He went next door to investigate. He walked past KotcheaSA国际影视传媒檚 place and heard her on the phone with the and continued to the crime scene.
He told the court he saw Klondike laying on his right side, SA国际影视传媒渇ull of blood.SA国际影视传媒�
Duntra testified that he checked Klondike's pulse. He said Klondike was not breathing.
He said KlondikeSA国际影视传媒檚 family eventually appeared at the Fort Liard residence, followed by officers sometime later.
Lomen sat with her face in her hands for much of Monday's proceedings, occasional sobs were audible.
Justice Andrew Mahar is presiding over the 13-day trial by judge alone. There is no jury.
The trial continues Tuesday.
