Closing Arguments in Hockey Players’ Sexual Assault Trial Conclude

LONDON, Ont. — The trial of five former Canadian hockey players accused of sexual assault concluded on Friday with closing arguments from both the prosecution and defense as they presented their final cases to Justice Maria Carroccia.

The accused players — Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, and Carter Hart — all pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from a 2018 incident involving a woman referred to as E.M. due to a publication ban on her name.

During the trial, which lasted more than two months, lawyers for the Crown argued that McLeod orchestrated the encounter during a hockey gala weekend in London. They claimed that E.M., then 20 years old, was pressured and scared into engaging in sexual acts with the men after consensually agreeing to sexual activity with McLeod alone.

Crown lawyer Meaghan Cunningham described the night as a “highly stressful and unpredictable” situation for E.M., referencing her testimony where she recounted going into “auto-pilot” mode in response to demands for sexual acts from multiple players. Cunningham stated that it was crucial for the judge to consider that E.M. did not truly consent to what transpired in the hotel room.

The defense maintained that E.M. consented to the sexual acts and attempted to discredit her reliability as a witness. They argued that E.M.’s behavior that night indicated she was a willing participant, noting a portion of her testimony where she claimed to have adopted a “porn star persona” as a coping mechanism.

“This alone warrants an acquittal against all of these defendants,” said Lisa Carnelos, representing Dubé. The defense’s closing arguments emphasized the presumption of innocence and pointed to what they suggested were inconsistencies in E.M.’s testimony.

The closing remarks wrap up a trial that featured significant twists, including a mid-trial mistrial and the dismissal of the jury. Justice Carroccia is expected to deliver her verdict on July 24, which will have profound implications for the accused and possibly alter discussions surrounding consent and sexual misconduct in sports.