A Tsiigehtchic man charged with manslaughter in the 2016 death of his son was found not guilty on May 27 following a trial in Inuvik.
Wayne McDonald was charged after his son, Gary McDonald, died following a physical altercation between the two in at their home in Tsiigehtchic in the early morning hours of April 4, 2016.
Justice Andrew Mahar accepted McDonald’s argument he had acted in self-defence when he sat on his son during the altercation.
The trial began on May 21.
RCMP officers from Fort McPherson were dispatched to the McDonald residence following calls for help from McDonald’s wife, according to an agreed statement of facts.
Mounties, who performed CPR on an unresponsive Garry McDonald, were forced to call off their attempts to resuscitate the man just after he lost a pulse and showed no signs of life.
Mahar is expected to release a written document on his reasons for the decision in the coming months.