London | The alleged victim of the ex-players of Hockey Canada Junior accused of sexual assault “knew” that one of them, Michael McLeod, was an elite athlete and that he was rich, suggested his lawyer in a counter-interrogation on Tuesday morning.
The young woman had started her testimony on Friday at the London courthouse for this trial followed by media from all over North America.
She was 20 years old at the time of the facts alleged against the five accused, McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart, Alex formenton and Cal Fote. The event would have occurred in London, in June 2018, on the occasion of the triumph a few months earlier from the Canadian team in the world championship.
On Monday, she told the horror night she said she had lived, saying that she was assaulted repeatedly, and had, among other things, the impression of being “imprisoned” in the hotel room.
The one that can be identified by EM’s initials, due to a publication prohibition to protect your identity, is currently undergoing the first counter-examination of a series of five. Each accused has his legal team, who can question her as he pleases to raise contradictions in her version of the facts.
Elite athletes
Michael McLeod’s lawyer argued that the alleged victim “knew” who were these young men.
“Didn’t you know they were with team Canada or high level?” Asked David Humphrey.
“No, absolutely not, I didn’t know that that evening,” said EM
Right after, the lawyer reminded her of a conversation she would have had with a member of the team’s entourage, who would have let him know that McLeod was “full” of money.
“You say that you did not know that Mr. McLeod was an elite player, that you did not know that his friends were probably on the way to the NHL, or even already signed [avec une équipe]? ”Asked Mr.e Humphrey.
-“No, I only knew it the next day, when my mother made the link,” replied the alleged victim.
“I suggest that part of what made Mr. McLeod attracting to you is that he was an elite hockey player and that he was rich?”, I said the defense lawyer.
“I wouldn’t say that I really thought about it. I didn’t get much from the conversation that night. It didn’t change anything for me, ”she said.
She “loved attention”
McLeod’s lawyer also suggested to her that that evening, contrary to what she said in her testimony, she “loved the attention” that she received hockey players.
“Do you not go to admit that what we see in the videos [de caméra de surveillance]it’s you, enjoying the attention of boys? “, He said, adding that she seemed to have” pleasure “.
“It was confusing for me because I am not used to this kind of attention in a bar. It was not usual for me. They gave the impression that everything was fine, and with everything I had drunk, I told myself that I was going to follow the movement. I told myself that I might be able to feel flattened and not to question it too much, ”replied EM
The latter also had to justify her consumption of alcohol at the bar, before the alleged assault. She admitted to having felt “pressure” from young men to continue drinking.
«You accept at least now the responsibility [d’avoir bu autant]? ”Launched the lawyer, the unsatisfied air.
“Yes, I take responsibility for it. I don’t think it was bad, “said the alleged victim.
