Ex-Hockey Players Acquitted in Sexual Assault Case
A judge in Ontario, Canada, acquitted five former members of Canada’s junior hockey team in a sexual assault case. The decision was based on the lack of credibility of the accusations presented by the plaintiff. Judge Maria Carroccia determined that the prosecution could not meet the burden of proof against Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote. The players had denied the sexual assault charges related to an incident that occurred in a hotel room in London, Ontario, on June 19, 2018. The judge explained that her decision was based on the plaintiff’s “tendency to blame others” and the inconsistencies in her statements. She also pointed out that the woman tried to prove she was very drunk during the night, something that was not supported by surveillance videos and testimonies.
The NHL has indicated that the players, none of whom are on an NHL roster or have an active contract, will remain ineligible to play in the league while the judge’s findings are reviewed. The NHL Players’ Association, for its part, believes that the five should have the opportunity to return to the ice. Prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham thanked the plaintiff for coming forward and added that her team will carefully review the judge’s decision, within the 30-day appeal period. During the trial, the woman testified that she felt vulnerable and scared when the men appeared in her hotel room. Prosecutors argued that the players acted without ensuring that the woman consented to the sexual acts. The defense lawyers suggested that the woman actively participated in the sexual activity, seeking a “wild night.” Two short videos of the plaintiff taken by McLeod on the night of the encounter were presented in court. In one of them, the woman says that “everything was consensual,” although she later stated that it was not what she really felt. Protesters gathered outside the courthouse, showing their support for the plaintiff, whose identity was not revealed. The accusations were not made public until years after the incident. Police closed the initial investigation without laying charges in 2019, but the plaintiff sued Hockey Canada in 2022. The NHL began its own investigation in 2022.“She really had never experienced not being believed in this way before,” said Karen Bellehumeur, the woman’s lawyer. “She agreed to do everything the criminal justice system asked of her. She spoke to the police when requested, reviewed her evidence, prepared her testimony, answered every question, spoke intelligently and from her heart, but it wasn’t enough.”
Karen Bellehumeur
