Five members from Canada’s 2018 world junior team (Hart, McLeod, Dube, Foote and Formenton) told to surrender to police, facing sexual assault charges

[Muffin]

I am curious how this all unfolds... 5 are asked to go to London but 8 in the room. 1 has arrived and turned himself in. I get the feeling this will take awhile till someone is found innocent or guilty.

Honestly I don’t see how this doesn’t just turns into a he said she said situation.

 

[Czechboy]

Honestly I don’t see how this doesn’t just turns into a he said she said situation.

I think there are videos... I would assume, to ask 5 players to turn themself in, that the London Police (who suck) have some damning evidence. I could also be totally wrong.lol

 

[PuckG]

I am curious how this all unfolds... 5 are asked to go to London but 8 in the room. 1 has arrived and turned himself in. I get the feeling this will take awhile till someone is found innocent or guilty.

Statement from Formenton side is also stating they will defend hard and is asking that people don’t rush to judgement.

This is going to be long, drawn out and absolutely brutal. Regardless, I hope the innocent are found so and those guilty should faces the harshest of consequences.

 

[Atoyot]

Honestly I don’t see how this doesn’t just turns into a he said she said situation.

I mean, an agent said that his client walked into the room and hung out for 10 minutes. Sounds like there could be more than a few witnesses.

 

[Czechboy]

Statement from Formenton side is also stating they will defend vigoursly and asking that people don’t rush to judgement.

This is going to be long, drawn out and absolutely brutal. Regardless, I hope the innocent are found so and those guilty should faces the harshest of consequences.

Agree... I'm trying not to jump on them because I remember Jian from Moxy Fruvous also looked real guilty. That and high priced lawyers.lol

 

[TopG]

Formentonnnnn

 

[Bjorn Le]

Not surprising at all but Formenton hired a very good defense lawyer. Will probably see an all-star line up of the top ranked defense counsel in Ontario once the others start turning themselves in.

 

[snag]

All I can say is, regardless if she consented.... A gang bang is never good optics.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I am curious how this all unfolds... 5 are asked to go to London but 8 in the room. 1 has arrived and turned himself in. I get the feeling this will take awhile till someone is found innocent or guilty.

5 charged, 3 potential witnesses for the prosecution.

 

[TopG]

It’s actually wild how common gang bangs are in the junior ranks. It wouldn’t be shocking if 90% of nhl players have been part of one

 

[brentashton]

Agree... I'm trying not to jump on them because I remember Jian from Moxy Fruvous also looked real guilty. That and high priced lawyers.lol

Just remember that being found not guilty doesn’t mean you aren’t necessarily guilty.

It sometimes simply means you had a good lawyer (or inept prosecutors didn’t prove without doubt- OJ Simpson).

I’m not passing judgement on the 5 at all.

Edit - anyone in Moxy Fruvous was guilty of an outright assault on musical decency.

 

[mkatcherin00]

All I can say is, regardless if she consented.... A gang bang is never good optics.

Not even that. If you have to ask her to record something or even try to record something later where she is talking about how it was consensual, etc, you know you screwed up. Disgusting dirtbags

 

[waitin425]

Expect a trial in 12-18 months time. Until then, whatever teams are expecting whatever players back, it likely won't be anytime during the remainder of this season or next. So many precedents in the NHL to share, but needless to say, this will drag on for a long time and impact whatever players and teams are involved.

If found guilty, nothing less than banning from the NHL will be suitable IMO.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I’m not sure how it works in Canada, but it’s not up to the victim to drop criminal charges.

The same, but they can influence the prosecution to drop the charges, but up to prosecution in the end, but if victim won’t testify, it could make it harder for conviction.

 

[TopG]

Expect a trial in 12-18 months time. Until then, whatever teams are expecting whatever players back, it likely won't be anytime during the remainder of this season or next. So many precedents in the NHL to share, but needless to say, this will drag on for a long time and impact whatever players and teams are involved.

If found guilty, nothing less than banning from the NHL will be suitable IMO.

Um if guilty it’s gonna be a hell of a lot more than being banned from a hockey league…

 

[seafoam]

Unfortunately athlete culture in my experience is extremely disturbing and f***ed up.

 

[snag]

Expect a trial in 12-18 months time. Until then, whatever teams are expecting whatever players back, it likely won't be anytime during the remainder of this season or next. So many precedents in the NHL to share, but needless to say, this will drag on for a long time and impact whatever players and teams are involved.

If found guilty, nothing less than banning from the NHL will be suitable IMO.

If found guilty they will be sex offenders. Crimes of moral turpitude. Would they even be allowed in the US?

 

[mianjo]

Ex-NHLer Formenton wanted in alleged 2018 sexual assault turns himself in to London police​

Ex-NHLer Formenton wanted in alleged 2018 sexual assault turns himself in to London police

A former member of the Ottawa Senators and Canada’s world junior hockey team has turned himself into police in London, Ont., in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a woman in 2018. Alex Formenton walked into the police headquarters Sunday morning accompanied by his attorneys. Formenton...

ottawa.citynews.ca

 

[MuckOG]

If found guilty, nothing less than banning from the NHL will be suitable IMO.

If found guilty, playing in the NHL will be the last thing on their minds.

 

[Czechboy]

Just remember that being found not guilty doesn’t mean you aren’t necessarily guilty.

It sometimes simply means you had a good lawyer (or inept prosecutors didn’t prove without doubt- OJ Simpson).

I’m not passing judgement on the 5 at all.

Edit - anyone in Moxy Fruvous was guilty of an outright assault on musical decency.

C'mon now.. River Valley is a solid song!

Agree about the not guilty but not innocent as well. I'm curious how it plays out. I think it will be a long process. I do think they are using the 5 to get the other 3 though.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Not surprising at all but Formenton hired a very good defense lawyer. Will probably see an all-star line up of the top ranked defense counsel in Ontario once the others start turning themselves in.

Oh yeah, it’s sure to be a who’s who of the best criminal defence attorneys and SA specialists in the country.

Hopefully the London police have been meticulous in their case building and the crown prosecutors office is well staffed and ready for the long legal battle that is staring them down.

 

[waitin425]

Just remember that being found not guilty doesn’t mean you aren’t necessarily guilty.

It sometimes simply means you had a good lawyer (or inept prosecutors didn’t prove without doubt- OJ Simpson).

I’m not passing judgement on the 5 at all.

The presumption is that they are innocent. In order to be proven guilty, it must be beyond a reasonable doubt. Anything short of that standard, and we must assume they are not guilty. You are right though, that doesn't mean they didn't do what was alleged. It just means the crown couldn't meet the standard beyond a reasonable doubt. In addiiton, all the fact are not always admissable. That is where the nuance of the Criminal Justice system comes into play. A good lawyer, will make all kinds of arguments based on case law to argue inadmissibility of certain evidence. The majority of the criminal "legal" system is not about whether or not the person did something, it is about whether or not the crown can prove they did something, with the added pressure of arguing investigative actions or omissions, that investigators may or may not have done.

In any case, what is on trial is the accused rights, measured against the Charter of Rights and established case law.

 

[Czechboy]

If found guilty, playing in the NHL will be the last thing on their minds.

The memes will be vicous.lol

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

5 charged, 3 potential witnesses for the prosecution.

Witnesses who kept to themselves for years? Hockey culture perhaps.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

I think only one of the players is possibly good enough to deal with the headache from a PR angle if they are allowed to play again. As has been said by others, the optics of this aren’t good. None of these players is Tyreek Hill good either. I think there is a good chance none play in the NHL again