Judge declares mistrial in Hockey Canada sexual assault case; new jury to be selected Friday
Former Flyer Carter Hart is one of five hockey players on trial in London, Ontario.
LONDON, Ontario (AP) — A judge declared a mistrial Friday in the sexual assault case involving five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team.
TSN reported that the Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia barred the media from publishing any details about her decision to declare a mistrial.
The ruling means a new trial will be held for Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Callan Foote, who have all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.The new trial was to begin Friday with the selection of 14 new jurors.
McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offense of sexual assault.
The trial began Wednesday — jury selection was Tuesday — and the prosecution’s first witness only briefly took the stand before testimony was put on hold for legal arguments that took place in the absence of the jury.
Carroccia brought jurors back Friday morning and informed them that they were being discharged.
The charges against the players relate to an encounter that took place in an Ontario hotel room in June 2018 when many of the team’s members were in London for a Hockey Canada gala.