Bail for chokehold killer

A Gold Coast man who killed his neighbour by putting him in a chokehold has been granted bail because he has a reasonable self-defence case.

Nathan Sanchez, 23, is accused of murdering his neighbour Kane Barry during a fight between the pair outside their Southport apartment complex on September 21.

Sanchez was initially charged with grievous bodily harm, but had that charge upgraded to murder after Mr Barry failed to come out of a coma and his family turned off his life support.

Crown prosecutor Glen Cash opposed Sanchez's bail, arguing Sanchez himself claimed to have Mr Barry in a headlock for up to two minutes and was using "as much force as he can".

"He effectively had won the fight, but carried on with it to such an extent that fatal injuries were inflicted upon the deceased," Mr Cash said.

Defence barrister Rob East said his client was simply defending himself, given Mr Barry had earlier threatened to attack him with a knife.

Mr Barry was also a lot bigger than his client, Mr East said.

Justice James Douglas said Sanchez, who had told police he was "pretty much fighting for his life", had a reasonable self-defence case to put to a future jury.

Justice Douglas said if Sanchez was denied bail, he would likely have to spend up to a year in jail before the charges against him could be tried.

"The strength of the crown case is not such as to justify his incarceration without granting bail in this stage of the proceedings," he said.

Mr Sanchez's matter has been adjourned to the Southport Magistrates Court on December 11.