Sexual assault trial of 5 ex-world junior hockey players begins in London, Ont., with jury selection

WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone who's been impacted by it.

Jury selection is set to begin today in the trial of five former NHL players accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a hotel in London, Ont., after a gala celebrating Canada's world junior hockey win in 2018. 

Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart and Alex Formenton are charged with one count each of sexual assault and will be at the Superior Court proceedings. They're expected to plead not guilty. McLeod faces an additional count of being party to the offence.

The trial, expected to last eight weeks, is a culmination of a years-long process that included a civil lawsuit, parliamentary hearings about how Hockey Canada handled the original allegations and investigation, and a reckoning with what some called a toxic culture in the game. 

Justice Maria Carroccia is presiding over the trial. Each player has his own team of lawyers and they'll have an opportunity to cross-examine the woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban. In court proceedings, she's been known as E.M. 

There is international interest in the case because of the high-profile players involved. All five members of the 2018 team went on to play pro hockey. 

McLeod and Foote were with the New Jersey Devils, Dubé was with the Calgary Flames and Hart was with the Philadelphia Flyers. Formenton was signed by the Ottawa Senators but was playing in Switzerland when the sexual assault charges were announced.

Foote and Hart aren't currently playing hockey, but McLeod and Dubé have been playing with Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) teams. Formenton has indicated he has left hockey and is working in construction in Barrie, Ont. 

The woman first went to police in 2018 immediately following the alleged incident.

"We're feeling very deeply for the young woman at the centre of this case, knowing that what she is about to go through is going to be really difficult," said Jessie Rodger, the head of Anova, a London, Ont.,-based agency for survivors of gender-based violence. 

"We're thinking of her and being grateful for what she's done so far and being supportive of whatever she does moving forward." 

The Supreme Court of Canada has consistently asked the legal system to treat complainants with respect and dignity, said Daphne Gilbert, a University of Ottawa law professor who specializes in sexual violence. 

"There's been a significant move to make the process less adversarial for complainants, to recognize the trauma that comes from having to testify in court," Gilbert said.

"This is going to be a really tough case for the complainant because there's five accused persons and each of them has their own lawyer, and each of those lawyers has the right to cross-examine her to the fullest extent. It's going to be a tough few weeks for her because she's going to face a barrage of extremely talented lawyers who are all going to be motivated to poke at her credibility."