SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The coroner's inquest into the death of a Yellowknife man found passed out in the middle of a downtown street in 2006 began on Monday before a six person jury.

Raymond Eagle passed away Jan. 5, 2010, after spending more than three years in a coma. A coroner's inquest began on Monday, investigating the circumstances of his death. In this photo, his father Tom, who passed away months after his son's accident in 2009, visits Raymond's bedside. - NNSL file photo

Paul Smith, co-counsel for the GNWT Department of Justice's coroner's office, told Yellowknifer the inquest into the Jan. 5, 2010 death of Raymond Eagle is expected to wrap up with recommendations from the jury - comprised of two men and four women - on Friday.

The inquest, chaired by Cathy Menard, chief coroner for the GNWT, is being held at the Nunasi Building on 48 Street in Yellowknife. The jury is expected to hear from 19 witnesses.

Witnesses are first questioned by either Smith or Clara Ferguson, co-counsels for the coroner's office. Questioning is then turned over to lawyers representing physicians and hospital staff at Stanton Territorial Hospital and the Yellowknife RCMP before the jury has the opportunity to question witnesses.

On Monday, Margaret Eagle, Raymond Eagle's sister representing the family, was also permitted to question witnesses. Margaret Eagle is scheduled to testify at the inquest as well.

Raymond Eagle was found by a taxi driver on Aug. 3, 2006, lying in the middle of the road with a head wound in a downtown neighbourhood. RCMP officer Graham Gurski, who has since been posted outside of Yellowknife, testified on Monday he arrived at the scene and called an ambulance to take Eagle to Stanton Territorial Hospital.

Gurski described Eagle as "heavily intoxicated," and after receiving stitches at the hospital to close a head wound, Gurski said he and a hospital staff member had to support Eagle as he was escorted to the RCMP vehicle because Eagle was unable to walk on his own. Gurski said he placed Eagle in the detachment's drunk tank at around 3 a.m.

The day after that, Eagle was taken back to Stanton by the RCMP, and was medevaced to Edmonton about 18 hours later. The following day he had surgery to remove a blood clot.

Eagle and never regained consciousness. On Jan. 5, 2010, after spending more than three years in a coma, Eagle died at the age of 48.

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