Hockey Player Carter Hart Testifies in Sexual Assault Case

Canadian hockey player Carter Hart took the stand in his own defence on Thursday, opening himself to cross-examination by prosecutors. Hart, one of the five players from Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team on trial for sexual assault, testified that he received a text message and a follow-up phone call from teammate Michael McLeod urging him to come to his hotel room for a "three-way." Hart, 26, stated that while he can't recall the exact words, "the gist of the conversation was that Mike was with a girl back at the hotel that wanted to have sex with some of the boys."

Key Takeaways:

• Carter Hart, a member of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team, testified in his own defence on Thursday, becoming the first witness the defence called after Crown prosecutors closed their case.
• Hart received a text message and phone call from teammate Michael McLeod, who urged him to come to his hotel room for a "three-way."
• Under cross-examination, Hart clarified that he couldn't recall who initiated the phone call.
• Hart testified that he arrived at the hotel feeling very intoxicated and saw teammates, including Formenton and Dubé, already in the room.
• He saw the complainant, E.M., on the hotel room floor on a bedsheet, masturbating and moaning, and she began asking the men to have sex with her.
• Hart told the court that his teammates were encouraging each other, saying "you do it or you do it," and that he himself asked E.M. for oral sex.
• He testified that E.M. replied "yeah or sure," and they moved toward each other, but he couldn't become fully erect and the oral sex lasted less than a minute.
• Hart also testified that he saw teammate Formenton and E.M. walk to the bathroom together, where they apparently had sex.
• Mr. Foote was mentioned to have done splits over top of E.M., but did not physically touch her, with players laughing at the sight.
• Hart denied witnessing teammate Dubé slap E.M.'s buttocks.

Statistics:

• Five players from Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team are on trial for sexual assault: Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote.
• Two players have been charged with sexual assault in connection to the alleged attack on E.M. at the Delta Armouries hotel: Carter Hart and Michael McLeod.
• A third player, Michael McLeod, has been charged with being a party to sexual assault.

Sources:

• Globe and Mail (Exact original date not mentioned)
• Globe and Mail (Exact original date not mentioned)