5 gamers have been discovered not responsible of sexual assault in a case involving members of the 2018 Canada world junior hockey staff. Superior Court docket Justice Maria Carroccia delivered the decision to Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote in a London, Ontario, courtroom Thursday.
Carroccia acknowledged that she did not discover the sufferer’s proof to be “credible or dependable” upon studying the verdicts.
“Having discovered that I can’t depend upon the proof of E.M. after which contemplating the proof on this trial as an entire, I conclude that the Crown can’t meet its onus on any of the counts earlier than me,” Carroccia stated.
McLeod, Hart, Formenton, Dube, and Foote had all pleaded not responsible to sexual assault associated to an incident that passed off in a London, Ontario, resort room on July 19, 2018. The 5 gamers have been in London on the time of the alleged sexual assault for a gala and golf match commemorating the staff’s victory on the 2018 World Junior Championships.
McLeod was the one defendant charged with two crimes and was discovered not responsible of each costs. He was additionally charged with “being a celebration to the offense.”
Carroccia categorized the varied accounts of the encounters between McLeod and the sufferer as “complicated.” The decide did point out McLeod’s shifting tales, however did not consider that it was sufficient to not consider parts of his account of the night time’s occasions.
McLeod was portrayed because the “architect” by prosecutors all through the trial.
Throughout the trial, it was revealed that McLeod met the sufferer at a London bar earlier within the night time earlier than inviting her again to his resort room. Prosecutors alleged that McLeod introduced a number of of his mates to the room to be able to carry out sexual acts with the sufferer with out her consent.
The lady testified that she did not voluntarily give consent to the sexual acts that passed off within the resort room. In the meantime, the protection staff argued that the girl voluntarily participated within the sexual acts and created a false narrative about what transpired all through the trial.
Legal professionals representing McLeod, Hart, Formenton, and Dube argued that the girl had given her consent to sexual acts, whereas Foote’s lawyer acknowledged that he was clothed whereas doing splits over her physique throughout the alleged assault.
Two different members of the staff, Brett Howden and Tyler Steenbergen, testified that the girl requested the group if anybody would have intercourse along with her. In complete, 9 witnesses testified throughout the six-week trial with the vast majority of them giving their accounts remotely.
The trial started in April and was heard by a jury. Nevertheless, Carroccia discharged the panel on two events and ultimately switched to a lone decide to keep away from having to begin the trial over once more.
