Jury Dismissed in Hockey Assault Trial Amid Defense Complaint

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    LONDON, Ontario — In a significant development for a high-profile trial involving five Canadian hockey players, the presiding judge has dismissed the jury following allegations concerning inappropriate behavior by defense lawyers. This decision means Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia will continue to oversee the trial without a jury.

    The incident that led to the jury’s dismissal occurred when one of the jurors handed in a note claiming that defense attorneys for one of the accused were making the jury uncomfortable by laughing at them. Lawyers Daniel Brown and Hilary Dudding, representing the accused, have denied such actions, and Justice Carroccia stated she did not witness any concerning behavior herself.

    Despite the absence of direct evidence, Justice Carroccia expressed that the jury’s perception of the defense as mocking could compromise their objectivity, a situation deemed too significant to ignore. Thus, the case will proceed under her jurisdiction alone.

    The defendants, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton, face charges stemming from an alleged incident that took place during a Hockey Canada gala in London, Ontario. The accusations include sexual assault against a woman who claims that the players took advantage of her while she was in an impaired state. McLeod faces an additional charge related to participating in the offense of sexual assault.

    Pleading not guilty, the players currently have no active contracts with any NHL teams. The trial includes testimony from the woman involved, who described being in a vulnerable state, naked and frightened, when a group of men entered the hotel room. Prosecutors assert that the players acted without verifying that she consented to engage in sexual activities.

    Defense attorneys, scrutinizing her testimony over several days, suggested that she may have willingly engaged in the actions to experience a “wild night,” an assertion she rebutted, explaining that she could not remember such statements and that it should have been evident she was not in a proper mental state.

    The case has a history of investigations closing without charges in 2019. Hockey Canada initiated an internal investigation which, however, was paused in 2020. In 2022, this matter resurfaced following a settlement agreement and a resultant outcry, prompting renewed investigative efforts by authorities.

    Criminal charges were officially filed at the beginning of 2024 after police gathered new evidence, the specifics of which have not been disclosed.

    As the trial continues, the proceedings are under scrutiny, given the public interest and the reputations involved.