Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial to Proceed Judge-Alone After Jury Dismissed

Why this matters: The dismissal of the jury raises questions about the fairness of the trial and the impact on the legal proceedings. It also highlights the complexities of high-profile sexual assault cases and the challenges of ensuring impartiality in the judicial system.

The Hockey Canada sexual assault case has been fraught with complications from the outset. The incident, which allegedly occurred in 2018, involves five members of the 2018 Canadian world junior championship team. The players are accused of sexually assaulting a woman, referred to as E.M., in a London, Ontario, hotel room.

The case initially faced setbacks when Hockey Canada's internal investigation was criticized for its tactics. Justice Bruce Thomas ruled that statements obtained during Hockey Canada's investigation were inadmissible because the players were threatened with a lifetime ban if they didn't cooperate. This raised concerns about the fairness of the investigation process and the rights of the accused.

After the first trial ended in a mistrial, a second trial began on April 28. The complainant testified, along with police detectives and other players. However, this trial was also disrupted when a juror reported that defense lawyers Daniel Brown and Hilary Dudding were making fun of the jury, leading to the jury's dismissal.

With the jury now dismissed, Justice Carroccia will hear the remainder of the trial alone. This means that witnesses who have already testified will not have to return, and the trial will continue with the existing evidence. The defense argued that the negative feelings of the jury could taint the trial, leading to the judge's decision to proceed without a jury. The trial continues with Tyler Steenbergen's testimony about what he saw in the hotel room on June 19, 2018.

The jury was dismissed after a complaint that jurors felt defense lawyers were making fun of them, raising concerns about impartiality.

Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton are charged with sexually assaulting a woman in a London, Ontario, hotel room in June 2018.

The trial will proceed with Justice Maria Carroccia hearing the case alone. Witnesses who have already testified will not have to return.

Hockey Canada conducted an internal investigation, but its tactics were criticized. Statements obtained during the investigation were initially blocked from being used in court due to concerns about coercion.

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