The alleged murder of Wangaratta's Nathan Day occurred when the victim and the two men charged over his death were all either drunk or drug-affected, but the exact circumstances are still not clear.
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They appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates Court yesterday via video link from jail on murder charges.
Friends and family of Mr Day were in court to watch proceedings.
Dunn's barrister Diana Price said three of Mr Day's former housemates needed to be questioned in court, to give context to the events of last year.
"The circumstances in which Mr Day died are completely unclear on the (police) brief, there are different versions and circumstances of what happened," she said.
"It's alleged they were all intoxicated or affected by some substance at the time."
Prosecutor Adrian Brennan argued the defence should not be allowed to question the former housemates because they had not seen Mr Day for weeks or months before his death and their evidence would be "speculative".
"It's evidence that's not necessarily relevant," he said.
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Ms Price said she wanted to ask them about the time spent living with Mr Day at the beginning of 2018.
"Each of them made various observations about his consumption of drugs or alcohol and how he would behave if he had consumed drugs or alcohol," she said.
Magistrate Peter Mithen allowed the witnesses to be cross-examined, saying "it's important to not allow any disadvantage".
The committal hearing will be held between September and October in Wangaratta.
Other witnesses will include doctors, including a pathologist, and others connected to the accused or victim who were flagged as having cognitive disabilities or impairments.
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