OAN Staff James Meyers
8:42 AM – Saturday, May 17, 2025
A 27-year-old Canadian woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by five professional NHL players finished her nine day testimony, as a jury was dismissed on Friday for a second time in a major shakeup to the proceedings.
A complaint was filed by the woman’s prosecution team, claiming that the defense attorneys were laughing at some of the jurors.
As a result, Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia will now decide the fate of the five professional hockey players.
The issue began on Thursday after one of the jurors submitted a note indicating that several jury members felt they were being judged and laughed at by lawyers representing one of the accused players as they walked into the courtroom each day.
In a note to the judge, a juror accused two of the defense attorneys of making fun of the jurors’ appearance.
“Every day when we enter the courtroom they observe us, whisper to each other and turn to each other and laugh as if they are discussing our appearance. This is unprofessional and unacceptable,” the note read.
However, the lawyers, Daniel Brown and Hilary Dudding, denied the allegation.
The accuser, whose name has not been revealed due to a court-ordered publication ban, told the court that a naked Cal Foote, who played for the New Jersey Devils last year — performed “the splits” over her face, which was a “party trick,” while the other players filmed in a hotel room.
“They were all laughing and thought it was hilarious,” the woman told the court. “It wasn’t funny to me. They were having a good time at my expense.”
A police investigation into the incident was closed without charges in 2019. Hockey Canada ordered its own investigation but dropped it in 2020 after constant efforts to get the woman to participate.
The investigation was later reopened amid an outcry over a settlement reached by Hockey Canada and others with the woman in 2022.
In 2024, Police announced criminal charges, stating they were able to proceed after collecting new evidence they did not detail.
This marks the second time the trial has seen chaotic circumstances. A mistrial was declared in April after Judge Carroccia ruled a lunch break interaction between one of the jurors and defense attorneys made it almost impossible for the jury to remain neutral.
After, a new jury was then chosen, but the 14 of them are now off the case as well.
The alleged acts that night followed a special event in London, Ontario, celebrating Canada’s gold medal in the World Junior Hockey Championship, in which all five men competed.
Meanwhile, Devils’ Cal Foote and Michael McLeod, the Ottawa Senators’ Alex Formenton, the Calgary Flames’ Dillon Dubé and the Philadelphia Flyers’ Carter Hart have all pleaded not guilty. They also claimed what took place that night was consensual as they are currently on leave from the NHL.
The alleged victim claims that she only went back to the hotel with McLeod, and the other players were invited without her consent.
The players involved each face one count of sexual assault, which has a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison in Canada. McLeod is also facing another charge of being a party to the offense of sexual assault and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Currently, all five players are not on an NHL roster or have an active contract with a team in the league.
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