Canada, April 25 – A mistrial has been declared in the sexual assault case involving five former junior hockey players, following an early disruption in the proceedings. Justice Maria Carroccia addressed the courtroom, informing the jury that the trial could not continue and that they were being discharged. The reason for the mistrial was not disclosed in detail, but it was serious enough to halt the case entirely and necessitate a restart.
The court had gone into recess shortly before the announcement, after which plans were made to select a new jury and begin a fresh trial the same day. The judge permitted the media to report the mistrial ruling but imposed a ban on publishing specific reasons behind the decision. A group of media organizations is currently challenging that restriction.
The case, which began earlier this week, involves Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Cal Foote. All five have pleaded not guilty in connection with an alleged assault that occurred in a hotel room in London, Ontario, back in June 2018. The trial was expected to span approximately eight weeks.
