An accused killer has admitted stabbing another man to death during a violent altercation but claims he is not guilty of murder.
Malwal Aweng, 28, is on trial in the Victorian Supreme Court, charged over the death of Mayiik Ring, 32, in Melbourne's western suburbs.
Aweng does not deny he fatally stabbed Mr Ring in the abdomen on the evening of December 30, 2022.
But he has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, maintaining he did not intend to kill or cause really serious injury to Mr Ring.
A Supreme Court jury was told Mr Ring was at a St Albans reserve with his girlfriend when an argument broke out between Aweng and the woman.
The argument became physical and Mr Ring tried to intervene as the pair began shoving each other and throwing punches.
At one point, Aweng grabbed a knife out of his girlfriend's bag and slashed her neck before stabbing Mr Ring in the abdomen.
Mr Ring was able to stay on his feet and even ran to a nearby car to grab a pole to defend himself, causing Aweng to flee.
Mr Ring then stumbled to a nearby community centre for help but he collapsed at the entrance.
Paramedics tried to revive the 32-year-old but he was declared dead at Sunshine Hospital shortly after midnight on December 31.
Aweng wanted to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter but the prosecution rejected the offer, instead persisting with the murder charge.
Aweng intended to kill or cause Mr Ring really serious injury, or he knew it was probable his actions would cause Mr Ring's death, crown prosecutor Jim Shaw told the jury.
But Aweng's barrister Paul Smallwood denied his client had murderous intent.
"What he is saying is his conduct was utterly appalling ... but it wasn't murder," Mr Smallwood told the jury.
Aweng has already pleaded guilty to the second charge of intentionally causing injury to Mr Ring's girlfriend.
The murder trial before Justice Andrew Tinney is expected to run for three weeks.
