Iqaluit (Oct 06/03) - An Iqaluit man will face a judge and jury on a manslaughter charge as a result of the death of 50-year-old Dale Pierce in May.

Chris Dederick was in court Oct. 2 for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial.

Dederick was originally facing one count of aggravated assault but that was upgraded to manslaughter on Sept. 30.

Dederick was first charged after an incident on May 24. RCMP were called to a home in the 22 area and found Pierce, 50, unconscious on the floor. Both men had been consuming alcohol.

After being treated for head wounds at Baffin Regional Hospital he was medevaced to Ottawa Civic Hospital and later died.

The Crown presented it's evidence and called several witnesses to testify during the preliminary hearing last week. Dederick became emotional and began sobbing while the evidence was being presented.

A bail hearing was held Oct. 3, but Justice Earl Johnson has reserved his decision until Oct. 6. The trial date hasn't been scheduled as of yet.