Toronto Maple Leafs Changed Their DNA After All
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Fox News
29 minutes ago
- Fox News
Canadian hockey players acquitted of sexual assault after judge finds lack of substantial evidence
Five members of the 2018 Team Canada World Juniors ice hockey team have been acquitted in a sexual assault case after a judge in Ontario said prosecutors could not meet the onus of proof. Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Callan Foote all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in an encounter that took place in a London, Ontario, hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018. The players, now between the ages of 25 and 27, were in London at the time for a gala and golf tournament marking their World Juniors championship earlier that year. Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia said she did not find the complainant's testimony credible. The victim met the players at a bar in downtown London after a Hockey Canada event June 18, 2018. The victim was later invited to a hotel room where she was allegedly sexually assaulted. The woman testified in May that she was naked, drunk and scared when four of the men showed up unexpectedly in her room at the Delta Hotel London Armouries and felt the only "safe" option was to do what they wanted. Prosecutors argued the players did what they wanted without taking steps to ensure she was voluntarily consenting to sexual acts. "I made the choice to dance with them and drink at the bar. I did not make the choice to have them do what they did back at the hotel," she testified. Defense attorneys cross-examined her for days and suggested she actively participated in or initiated sexual activity because she wanted a "wild night." Two short videos of the complainant taken by McLeod the night of the encounter were played in court. In one, the woman says it was "all consensual," though she told the court that wasn't how she truly felt. All the players went on indefinite leave, and none is on an NHL roster or has an active contract with a team in the league. The NHL launched its own investigation in 2022. Officials pledged to release the findings, though Commissioner Gary Bettman said in February that would depend on what the league can say given legal proceedings.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Meet The New Guy: Jonathan Toews
Jets sign hockey legend and Winnipeg native Jonathan Toews to one-year deal in the hopes of gaining an impactful second line centre. The Winnipeg Jets are coming off a historic season, where they hit franchise bests across the board but with it coming to an end, they were forced to make some tough decisions. Longtime winger Nikolaj Ehlers left in free agency and the team really needed a big time signing to bring them back with one coming from a surprising place. Midway through last season, three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews said he was looking to make a return to hockey with one true team on his mind for the return. The Winnipeg native would go on to his childhood team and give the Jets a much needed add to their lineup. There's been recent debate throughout the league on how the Florida Panthers have been so successful with one of the leading causes being Sam Bennett listed as their second line centre. Contending teams look at the Panthers lineup with a first line of star talent followed by another anchor up the middle with Bennett. The second line centre spot has become a priority for certian teams and the Jets will see a significant improvement in this area. Vladislav Namestnikov manned the role for a majority of last season and put up just under 40 points for the second straight season. Winnipeg would love to get a higher end point producer in this role and Toews could open up some doors. Although Toews is closer to a 40-point producer at 37 years old, he can fill the all-important role of the defensive centre that helps keep opposing offences at bay like Adam Lowry. The captain will be sidelined for a majority of the season and Toews could step into the role while Namestnikov takes advantage of easier matchups on the third line and hopefully leads to more points. Toews' role on the team will be crucial as early lineup projections have him listed as the centre for the second power play unit and could use his prowess in the faceoff dot to win clutch draws. Only time will tell if his return to hockey will be an impactful one but the main belief throughout the organization after seeing him in a workout is that he will be able to play a meaningful role as Winnipeg had to fend off several other teams to land their hometown product. In addition to winning multiple Stanley Cups, Toews has earned several gold medals with Team Canada and won the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward in 2013. He was also a finalist for the award three other times. Toews received the Mark Messier Leadership Award, showcasing his strong leadership qualities, which will be crucial in Lowry's absence. Over 1,067 NHL games, he recorded 372 goals and 511 assists for a total of 883 points, along with a +148 rating. He added 119 points in 137 playoff games across ten postseason appearances, bringing a wealth of experience to the most intense and demanding situations. Winnipeg's Best Individual Performances During their Historic 2024-25 Season Looking back at the most impressive single-game performances from the Jets historic 2024-25 season.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Five ice hockey players found not guilty in Canada sexual assault case
Five Canadian ice hockey players accused of sexually assaulting a woman were all acquitted by an Ontario judge on Thursday. In a packed courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia reviewed testimony and evidence from the highly publicised eight-week trial over the course of several hours, before declaring the men not guilty. The former players for Canada's world junior hockey team were accused of assaulting the woman, known as EM, in a hotel room in 2018 in London, Ontario, where they had attended a Hockey Canada gala. Justice Carroccia said she did not find EM's evidence "credible or reliable". She added that "the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me". The central issue of the trial was whether EM, who was 20 at the time, had consented to every sexual act in the room that night. Lawyers for the players contended that she asked the men to have sex with her and they believed she gave consent. Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton and Carter Hart were all players with the National Hockey League (NHL) when the allegations surfaced, although one was playing in Europe. Only one, Mr Hart, testified in his own defence. The trial attracted significant attention in Canada, and so many people attended court to hear the ruling on Thursday that clerks had to open two additional overflow rooms. Hockey Canada: A sex assault scandal disgraces country's pastime Four NHL players charged in Canada over 2018 sexual assault In explaining her ruling, Justice Carroccia pointed to inconsistencies in EM's testimony, including about who had bought drinks that night, and said EM's statements reflected an "uncertain memory" that did not line up with evidence presented in the trial. There were differences in what the woman told police investigators and those for Hockey Canada, which settled a C$3.5m ($2.5m; £1.9m) lawsuit for an undisclosed sum in 2022, as well, the judge said. Two videos from the incident were shared in the trial, where EM was recorded giving her consent to the activities. The first was taken without her knowledge. While, under Canadian law, the videos did not establish consent, the judge said they did show EM "speaking normally, smiling," and that she "did not appear to be in distress." That undercut the Crown's argument that EM did not leave the room out of fear, she said. It is unclear if the Crown will appeal the ruling, with prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham saying in a statement that they will carefully review the decision. She also said they had received "dozens of messages from people across Canada and abroad" expressing thanks and support for EM. "A successful prosecution is not measured solely by whether there are guilty verdicts at the end," she said. "The Crown's goal throughout this proceeding has been to see a fair trial, a trial that is fair to the men charged, and one that is also fair to EM." Throughout the trial, the Crown argued the woman's testimony was credible, that "intoxication does not equal unreliability" and that any inconsistencies in her testimony were minor. They also argued the woman did not have a motive to fabricate a story and that she had initially reported the alleged assault to police in 2018, four years before filing the lawsuit against Hockey Canada. They added that text messages between the players allegedly showed it was Mr McLeod's idea to invite his teammates to the room and that the players allegedly engaged in "getting their story straight" by drafting a narrative that EM had consented to all sexual activity. Defence lawyers, however, argued that EM's testimony was undermined by eyewitness evidence , in which other players who were in the hotel room that night but were not charged said she was "vocal" about what she wanted sexually. They said the evidence suggested the woman was a willing participant who later experienced regret, and added that intoxication in this case did not equal "incapacity", submitting video evidence suggesting EM had not shown signs of extreme intoxication.
