Hockey Canada Trial Questions Complainant Credibility in Sexual Assault Case

In the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, defense lawyers have launched their closing arguments, strongly challenging the credibility of the complainant, known as E.M., who accuses five 2018 Team Canada junior hockey players of sexual assault in a London, Ontario hotel room. The defense, led by attorney David Humphrey for Michael McLeod, argues that E.M.'s allegations are fabricated following consensual sex, describing her as a willing participant who later reconstructed her story to gain sympathy and support a civil lawsuit. They highlighted inconsistencies in her testimony, pointing to text messages and player testimonies that portray E.M. as an initiator rather than a victim. The accused — McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote — all plead not guilty, with McLeod also charged with being a party to the offense. Defense attorneys emphasized that McLeod did not mention during a 2018 police interview that E.M. asked him to invite others, arguing that the case was only reopened years later after a civil settlement. The trial continues to hinge on conflicting narratives about the events following a Hockey Canada celebration of their 2018 world junior championship gold medal.