NHL
Hockey
Canada Trial
LONDON, Ont. — As jury selection began on the first day of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, the Crown revealed its list of potential witnesses, naming a number of NHL players who may be called to testify.
The Crown named more than 40 people in total, including 14 players who were members of the 2018 World Junior Championship hockey team and in London, Ont., at the time the alleged sexual assault took place.
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Five members of that team — Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote — were arraigned on Tuesday in Ontario Superior Court in London; all pleaded not guilty. McLeod also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of “being a party to the offense” (he is the only one of the five players facing multiple charges). The charges stem from an alleged incident that took place in June 2018 following a Hockey Canada gala celebrating the team’s 2018 championship during which a 20-year-old woman alleged she was sexually assaulted over a number of hours in a London hotel room.
Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk, Brett Howden, Tyler Steenbergen, Drake Batherson, Sam Steel, Robert Thomas, Maxime Comtois, Jake Bean, Dante Fabbro, Colton Point, Conor Timmins, Jonah Gadjovich, and Cale Makar were among a list of potential witnesses from that 2018 roster who may be called to testify during the course of a trial that is slated to last approximately eight weeks.
Sources told The Athletic last week that any NHL player called to testify who is participating in the NHL playoffs is expected to have the option to testify virtually.
Tim Hunter, Shawn Bullock and Bob Martin, all members of that 2018 Canadian World Juniors team’s staff, were also named as potential witnesses.
Opening statements are expected to begin Wednesday, after which witnesses will be called. A jury of 14 — 11 women and 3 men — was selected, as well as two alternate jurors (one man and one woman). All but three of the jurors said they were familiar with the case from media reports and/or internet coverage, but each juror who was selected assured the court they could be both open-minded and impartial in assessing the evidence introduced at trial. Justice Maria Carroccia, who is presiding, said the court was selecting a larger jury than usual (most juries consist of 12 members and two alternates) because of the anticipated length of the trial. Carroccia said she wanted to ensure a full jury of 12 will be available when deliberations begin “in the interest of justice.”
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During the jury selection process, potential jurors were asked about whether they had any past experiences with sexual assault or any connections to someone who has been accused of or is a victim of the offense and, if so, their ability to remain impartial. Potential jurors were also asked whether they had any feelings or beliefs about hockey players that would impact their ability to decide the case without bias.
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic. Images: iStock)
