London, have. – A trial was declared in the sexual assault case of Hockey Canada, two days after the crown prosecutor made opening statements and three days after a jury of 14 people was selected before the Ontario Superior Court.
These 14 jurors – 11 women and three men – were sent home on Friday following the decision of judge Maria Carroccia, who chaired the trial that started on Tuesday.
Carroccia postponed the court early Wednesday, saying to the jurors: “Something happened during the time of the lunch that I must think and chat with the lawyers.” She then asked jurors not to discuss the question more.
A prohibition of publication imposed by the court prevents the media from disclosing what caused the trial and all that is discussed in the courtroom which was not revealed to the jury. Carroccia said the court will begin to select a new 14 people jury on Friday.
The highly anticipated trial features the former NHL NHL players Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Fote, who are all faced with accusations of sexual assault arising from a June 2018 incident in which a 20 -year -old woman said she was sexually assaulted for several hours in a London hotel room. The players, who pleaded not guilty when they were charged on Tuesday, were in town this weekend to attend a 2018 world junior championship.
In the opening declarations on Wednesday, the crown lawyer Heather Donkers underlined the accusation case, advising jurors that the result would depend on the question of consent and to reject any preconceived concept on sexual assault.
Donkers, by describing what the jurors should expect to hear the complainant and in proof throughout a trial which was to last eight weeks, said that the defendants “had sexual contact with the complainant without his voluntary agreement to the specific acts which had taken place”.
(Photo of Peter Power / AFP via Getty Images)
