WARNING: This article references sexual assault and may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
Technical problems in the London, Ont., courtroom plagued Tuesday’s proceedings at the sexual assault trial for five former world junior hockey players, forcing Justice Maria Carroccia to adjourn early after more video evidence was shown.
The hearings in Superior Court began Monday, and CBC will continue to bring you them live.
Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Carter Hart and Alex Formenton — who all had NHL careers at one point — have pleaded not guilty. McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of being party to the offence, laid because the Crown alleges he encouraged and helped his teammates engage in sexual activity with the complainant without her consent.
Before they were sent home Tuesday after the lunch break, jurors watched several surveillance videos taken inside Jack’s Bar and Grill. Some players went there on June 18, 2018, following a gala in the southwestern Ontario city to celebrate the world title the team won months earlier.
The complainant in this case was also at that bar at the time — she’s known in court as E.M. because of a publication ban protecting her identity.
Also shown Tuesday were videos taken from the phone of Drake Batherson, who was on that junior team and now plays for the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.
Videos on his phone show many young men having fun in the crowded and lively bar. They were smiling at the camera and jumping gleefully on the dance floor. London police Det. Tiffany Waque, a witness at the trial, identified some of them as Batherson, Foote, Brett Howden and Cale Makar.
Howden now plays for the Senators and Makar is with the Colorado Avalanche.
Except for the five men on trial, none of the other former members of the 2018 world junior team faces any charges.
Other men who now play in the NHL and appear in the videos include Maxime Comtois, who used to be with the Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes, and Jake Bean who’s with the Calgary Flames.
In some of the videos, McLeod and E.M. are seen chatting at the bar, taking a shot of alcohol and dancing.
When court resumes Wednesday, Waque is expected to continue her testimony about videos taken at Jack’s and in the lobby of the Delta hotel, where E.M. and the men ended up at the end of the night.
Eight weeks have been set aside for the trial. CBC’s live coverage today is expected to start before 10 a.m. ET.
If you’re in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. For support in your area, you can look for crisis lines and local services via the Ending Violence Association of Canada database.
