A Ontario court acquitted five Canadian ice hockey players on Thursday in a case that drew widespread public attention, with Justice Maria Carroccia ruling that the prosecution failed to meet its legal burden. The men, all former members of Canada's world junior hockey team and currently affiliated with the National Hockey League (NHL), were accused of assaulting a woman, identified as EM, during a 2018 event in London, Ontario.
The trial, which lasted eight weeks, centered on whether EM, then 20 years old, had consented to all sexual activities in the hotel room. The defense argued that EM had initiated the encounters, claiming she had given explicit consent. However, the judge found her account "uncertain" and inconsistent, particularly regarding details like who purchased drinks, and noted discrepancies between her statements to police and Hockey Canada investigators.
The Crown maintained that EM's testimony was reliable, emphasizing that intoxication does not negate consent and dismissing the defense's claims of fabricated narratives. They highlighted text messages allegedly implicating Michael McLeod in orchestrating the event, but the defense countered with eyewitness accounts from non-charged individuals describing EM as "vocal" about her desires. Video evidence presented by the defense suggested EM was not severely intoxicated, challenging the prosecution's argument of incapacitation.
The case intensified scrutiny of Hockey Canada, which settled a $2.5 million lawsuit in 2022 over the incident. The trial's popularity led to the opening of two overflow rooms due to high public interest. While the verdict brings closure to the criminal proceedings, the legal and reputational fallout continues to impact the sport's governance and culture.
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