Latest news with #2018WorldJuniorChampionship
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
Retired police officer's video interview of Hockey Canada ex-junior player accused of sexual assault played in court
Retired police officer Steven Newton, who had questioned accused Michael McLeod , testified as a new Crown witness on May 27 in the sexual assault trial of five former Hockey Canada junior players. Newton served with the London Police Service for 32 years and was the lead investigator in the 2018 case when he had interviewed McLeod in connection with the allegations against the hockey player. The Crown presented a recorded police interview from November 18, 2018, before the court during the testimony. In the one-hour-and-fifteen-minute video, Newton is seen questioning McLeod. Newton told McLeod the goal of the interview was to gather facts and determine whether a sexual assault had occurred as alleged by the victim. He said that if, during the interview, he believed he had grounds for a charge, he would stop and inform McLeod. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Has Honda Done It Again? The New Honda CR-V is Finally Here. TheFactualist Undo In the video, McLeod claimed that E.M. had offered oral sex. He said the group was drinking but not too intoxicated, adding, 'We had our heads on straight for the most part.' After having consensual sex with E.M., McLeod said he went to get food from the lobby. When he returned, he saw E.M. with another player, Carter Hart. McLeod said he recorded a video of E.M. giving consent because he was 'worried something like this might happen.' Live Events During the hearing earlier in the day, the defence finished cross-examining another witness, NHL player Brett Howden. A defence lawyer suggested that Howden may have downplayed his contact with E.M. during earlier interviews. Howden denied this, saying he couldn't recall the security footage. The case concerns allegations that a woman, known as E.M., was sexually assaulted in room 209 of the Delta Hotel in the early morning hours of June 19, 2018. Many members of the 2018 World Junior Championship team were in town at the time to celebrate their victory. The five defendants- McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, and Alex Formenton - have all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault; McLeod also faces a count of being party to the offence. They are not currently affiliated with any NHL teams.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial: Defense Suggests E.M. Goes From 'Sober' To 'Fun' Persona When She Drinks
Warning: coverage of the Hockey Canada trial includes details of alleged sexual assault that may be disturbing to readers. One of Alex Formenton's defense attorneys suggested the complainant in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial has a different persona when under the influence of alcohol. Formenton is one of five former members of Canada's 2018 World Junior Championship team – the other four being Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote – facing charges of sexual assault. McLeod is also facing an additional charge of sexual assault as party to the offense. All five men have pleaded not guilty to their charges. These charges are in relation to an incident that occurred back on June 18 and 19, 2018, when a woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban and is referred to as E.M. in court documents, alleges she was sexually assaulted in a London, Ont. hotel room following Hockey Canada gala. Daniel Brown, one of Formenton's lawyers, began his cross-examination of E.M. Thursday afternoon. Since her testimony began last Friday, E.M. has continued to appear on video feed from another room in the courthouse. One of Brown's main lines of questioning centered around the complainant's personality when she is intoxicated versus when she is sober. After E.M. agreed with Brown that she is a more introverted and shy person, and drinking helps her 'break out of her shell,' Brown suggested that the complainant goes from 'sober' E.M. to 'fun' E.M. when she drinks. Brown used the complainant's first name in court instead of E.M. The complainant told Brown she did not like the alter ego suggestion, but Brown pressed on, mentioning the previously agreed-upon statement that E.M. had a boyfriend of three months at the time of the alleged incident. ' 'Fun' E.M. doesn't think about whether it is a good idea or a bad idea to cheat on her boyfriend,' Brown suggested. ' 'Fun' E.M. didn't think of the consequences. 'Fun' E.M. went off to a hotel with a guy she barely knew.' Brown asked who was to blame for 'sober' E.M. becoming 'fun' E.M. the night of June 18, 2018, and whether it was the complainant or one of the five defendants who was to blame. E.M. said it was her choice to drink, but she should be able to drink and 'not have happen to me what happened.' 'I should be allowed to do that and not worry about having something bad happen,' she said. Before this line of questioning, Brown asked the complainant who was to blame for what happened that night and whether it was someone else's faults. E.M. said she still had some blame sometimes on herself. 'Do you believe that it's easier to deny your deliberate choices than to acknowledge the shame, guilt and embarrassment that you felt about your choices?' Brown asked E.M. The complainant said she's not sure she agrees with that. 'I have a lot of blame for myself, but I think other people should be held accountable for that night,' she said. 'I Felt Like I Had No Option,' Complainant Tells Jury In Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial Warning: coverage of the Hockey Canada trial includes graphic details of alleged sexual assault that may be disturbing to readers. The events of that night, specifically what allegedly transpired at the Delta Armouries Hotel, were discussed in greater detail earlier Thursday when one of Hart's lawyers, Megan Savard, continued her cross-examination from Wednesday. Savard discussed how the complainant had testified at least twice in the trial that she had cried at points while in the hotel room, and that when this happened, she heard someone say, 'Don't let her leave – she's crying.' Savard said the first time E.M. mentioned this was when she was being questioned by David Humphrey, one of McLeod's lawyers, on Monday, and not during any of her previous police interviews or statements. In previous statements, Savard confirmed the complainant told police the men said 'come on, don't leave,' when she was asked if the men did anything to make her stay in the hotel room on the night of the alleged incident. Savard suggested that the way E.M. has now put it during the trial has a much more 'criminal' or 'severe' implication. But the complainant denied this. 'I stand by it,' E.M. said. 'I was just trying to get the words out. They didn't want me to leave, and they made sure I didn't by walking me back to the bed sheet.' Brown's cross-examination of the complainant is expected to continue on Friday, followed by questioning from other members of the players' defense counsel.
New York Times
29-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Technology glitches mar second day of testimony at Hockey Canada trial
LONDON, Ont. — The Crown showed jurors a number of surveillance videos and at least one photo from social media during Tuesday's proceedings in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, which were cut short by technical issues. In a sweltering hot courtroom on her second day of testimony, London Police detective Tiffany Waque, the Crown's first witness, played clips of videos that showed players from the 2018 Canadian World Juniors team and the complainant in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial drinking, talking at the bar and dancing at Jack's — a bar and nightclub on Richmond Street that is popular amongst university and college students. Advertisement The video clips from a June evening in 2018, prior to the alleged incident at the Delta Armouries Hotel, are the first pieces of evidence presented in the Crown's case against the five defendants. Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote are all facing sexual assault charges in connection with the alleged incident; all five players pleaded not guilty last week. The complainant, then 20, alleges that she was sexually assaulted in the hotel following a Hockey Canada gala celebrating the team's 2018 World Junior Championship run. At multiple points during Waque's testimony, the surveillance videos, many of which were not accompanied by sound, were paused to allow her to identify for the jury who was in the video and which camera angles from within Jack's — the main bar, an auxiliary bar, the dance floor — captured the video. One of the first videos showed Brett Howden approaching the complainant at the bar; a short time after, he returned with McLeod. The complainant and McLeod could be seen on video talking and, at one point, taking a shot together. Later, in another silent surveillance video, Waque identified McLeod and the complainant dancing together amid a crush of other people and strobing lights. In addition to surveillance video, Waque also showed jurors multiple videos from Drake Batherson and one from McLeod that show the players in various stages of revelry throughout their night at Jack's — jumping, singing and dancing together. One video showed Batherson, Howden and Cale Makar dancing to The Killers' 'Mr. Brightside' song. Another video showed Tyler Steenbergen and Makar with Chris Brown's 'Yeah 3x' in the background. A third video showed McLeod, Batherson, Howden, Foote and Maxime Comtois huddled in a semicircle, facing the camera, singing along to the song 'Pursuit of Happiness' by Kid Cudi: I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know Everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold Advertisement Matt Maccarone, who was identified as a 'sponsor but not part of the team,' was shown in multiple videos talking with players at the bar. Jurors also saw one video that featured Howden, McLeod and Jake Bean, the latter of whom was sitting on Maccarone's shoulders. The five players who are defendants in the case watched the videos from their respective defense tables. There were multiple delays in Tuesday's proceedings because of technical issues within the courtroom. Justice Maria Carroccia, who is presiding, explained that there was a piece of equipment that was 'overheating' because of the temperature of the courtroom. Carroccia dismissed the jurors early for the day telling them: 'We've got no choice. We can't get the equipment to work properly and … it's very, very hot.' — The Athletic's Dan Robson contributed reporting remotely from Toronto. (Photo by Peter Power / AFP via Getty Images)
