Defence resumes questioning woman at sexual assault trial of former world junior hockey players

Last week in court, the trial involving five accused men and the complainant, E.M., continued to unfold. Each of the five men has a defence team representing them, and last week saw E.M. being questioned by their respective lawyers.

The trial kicked off on April 25th with the selection of the jury, and proceedings officially began on April 28th. As of last Friday, the third defence team had the opportunity to question E.M., marking the halfway point of her time being questioned via video from another room.

E.M. has alleged that the five men assaulted her at a London hotel following a night out at Jack’s bar in 2018. Throughout the trial, the focus of the men’s lawyers during cross-examination has been on E.M.’s behavior leading up to, during, and after the alleged assault. They have scrutinized everything from what she drank and how she danced at the bar to the “persona” or “alter ego” they claim she adopted at the hotel.

Inconsistencies between E.M.’s police statement, civil lawsuit, and her testimony in court have been brought into question by the defence. Additionally, E.M. has been questioned about mistakenly identifying two men as potentially involved in the assault when they were not.

Despite the challenges and scrutiny, E.M. has stood her ground, stating that she is recalling the details to the best of her ability and maintaining that she did not consent to what transpired in the hotel room.

For a more in-depth look at the cross-examinations that took place last week, you can find additional information here.

As the trial continues to unfold, it is clear that both sides are vigorously presenting their cases in pursuit of justice and truth. Stay tuned for further updates on this ongoing legal battle.