After mistrial, jury selection restarts for new sexual assault trial for 5 ex-world junior hockey players

Jury selection has once again commenced in London, Ont., for the trial of five former world junior hockey players who are facing allegations of sexual assault against a woman in a hotel room back in 2018. The trial was declared a mistrial earlier in the day, leading to the need for a new trial that is anticipated to last for about eight weeks.

The five accused individuals, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, and Alex Formenton, each stand charged with one count of sexual assault. Additionally, McLeod faces an additional charge of being a party to an offence. When asked for their pleas in court, each of the accused firmly stated, “not guilty,” as they stood with their defense teams.

Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia declared a mistrial earlier in the day, with the reasons for the mistrial being protected under a publication ban. Following this decision, the process to select new jurors began immediately after the original jury was thanked and dismissed by the judge.

Addressing the new pool of approximately 200 potential jurors, Justice Carroccia emphasized the importance of considering the evidence and her instructions to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused individuals beyond a reasonable doubt. The complainant in the case, identified as E.M., is protected by a publication ban, as is commonplace in sexual assault cases.

The incident in question took place during the summer of 2018, following a gala celebrating the world junior hockey team’s gold-medal victory months prior. The accused individuals were staying at a hotel in London at the time.

One key aspect of the jury selection process involves ensuring that potential jurors can remain unbiased despite any pretrial publicity they may have encountered. Justice Carroccia emphasized the importance of impartiality, urging jurors to set aside any biases or prejudices they may hold in order to render a fair decision based on the evidence presented during the trial.

Once the new jury is selected, the Crown will deliver an opening statement, with proceedings expected to resume on Monday. The trial will continue to unfold as the legal process moves forward, with the ultimate goal of achieving justice and a fair resolution for all parties involved.