Ex-hockey players acquitted of sexual assault accusations
A judge in Ontario, Canada, acquitted five former members of the junior hockey team on charges of sexual assault. Judge Maria Carroccia determined that the plaintiff’s accusations lacked the credibility necessary to justify the charges.
Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote, who pleaded not guilty, faced charges related to an incident that occurred in a hotel room in London, Ontario, on June 19, 2018.
The case, which included speculation, parliamentary hearings, and police investigations, culminated in a trial with a verdict that fell to Judge Carroccia.
The judge explained her decision, highlighting the “tendency to blame others” for the inconsistencies in the plaintiff’s statements.
The judge also pointed out that the woman tried to prove her state of intoxication, but this was not corroborated by surveillance videos and testimonies.Alex Formenton, uno de los jugadores de hockey, llegando a la corte en Londres, Ontario.McLeod was also acquitted of an additional charge. The players, aged between 25 and 27, were in London for an event commemorating their championship victory.
The players’ lawyers celebrated the outcome, while the plaintiff’s lawyer expressed her disappointment.
The plaintiff felt devastated, as “she had never before experienced not being believed.”
The NHL indicated that the players, who are not on any league list nor have active contracts, remain ineligible to play while the judge’s findings are reviewed. The NHL Players’ Association considers the league’s decision to be “inconsistent”.
Prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham thanked the plaintiff for appearing and announced that her team will review the judge’s decision during the 30-day appeal period.
The woman testified that she felt scared and vulnerable in her hotel room. The defense suggested that she actively participated in the sexual activity.
Two short videos taken by McLeod were presented, in one of which the woman says it was “consensual”, although she later clarified that it was not her true opinion.
Protesters gathered in front of the courthouse in support of the plaintiff, whose identity was not revealed.
The accusations were made public years after the incident. The police closed the initial investigation without filing charges in 2019, but the plaintiff sued Hockey Canada in 2022. The organization settled the lawsuit, and the police reopened the investigation.
Players were accused in early 2024. At that time, some were playing in the NHL and subsequently took an indefinite leave of absence.
The NHL began its own investigation in 2022.
