Wife fell and hit head during struggle over bottle: accused

A man charged with manslaughter in the death of his common-law wife told a Hay River courtroom Monday she fell and hit her head while the couple was fighting over a bottle of alcohol. 

Steven Sayine, 40, was testifying in his own defence.

His wife Mary Laboucan, 48, was found unresponsive in their Fort Resolution home in June 2012. She was taken to Yellowknife and then to Edmonton, where she was diagnosed with a head injury.​ Doctors declared her brain dead three days later.

Last week witnesses testified Sayine had told them Laboucan had thrown an ashtray at him, and that he had kicked her in the jaw and she fell backward and hit her head.

The doctor who performed the autopsy on Laboucan has testified she died from a head injury, and had bruising on the back of her head and on her face but none on her jaw. ​

Sayine said Monday he never kicked Laboucan. He said she fell during a struggle over a bottle of alcohol. Sayine said he believed the bottle may have contained some paint thinner or anti-freeze.

He said he tried to get it from her and she fell backward and hit her head. He said she then got up and tried for the bottle again and fell forward onto the couch.

Sayine didn't deny saying he had kicked Laboucan in the jaw, but said he thought at the time if he told the truth Laboucan would be mad at him for weeks and people would laugh at her.

The Crown asked Sayine if he told people the true version of the story before he knew the seriousness of her injury.

The Crown also asked why he never told the nurse at the health centre Laboucan had fallen and hit her head. He said it was because he believed she had alcohol poisoning. 

Closing statements are expected Tuesday.