Man on trial over hospital murder

A man killed a fellow psychiatric patient at an Adelaide hospital by strangling him with such force it fractured his Adam's apple, a court has heard.

Lindon Luke Sekrst has gone on trial in the Supreme Court charged with the murder of a 43-year-old man at the Norlunga Hospital in August, 2014.

Prosecutor Peter Longson told the court that Sekrst was only admitted the day before the alleged killing and was found to be standing over his victim in their room at about 1am the next morning.

Mr Longson said a nurse would tell the court that Sekrst had his foot either on his victim's upper chest or neck and indicated he was trying to "get him breathing" in that manner because he had no strength in his arms.

But the prosecutor said medical evidence would show that the pressure to the neck must have lasted for several minutes and was enough to fracture the man's Adam's apple in two places and cause other injuries.

The accused was also found to have the dead man's DNA on his hands, Mr Longson said.

The trial was continuing with the jury expected to be taken on a view of the hospital on Tuesday.