A Scandalous Title: 'Architect' of Assault

In a gripping courtroom drama, prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham has painted Michael McLeod as the alleged "architect" behind a shocking sexual assault case tied to Hockey Canada. During the trial, Cunningham accused McLeod of devising a twisted narrative, claiming he spun outright lies to cast the complainant, known as E.M., as the aggressor in a distressing series of sexual encounters.

The Allegations Unraveled

The charges stem from a harrowing incident in June 2018, where E.M., a 20-year-old woman, asserts she was sexually assaulted for hours in a London, Ontario hotel room, where five Hockey Canada players—including McLeod—were present to celebrate their World Junior Championship win. All five players—McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote—have pleaded not guilty.

The Crown's Compelling Case

Cunningham laid out a meticulous argument intended to illustrate that E.M. did not consent to the group sexual activity. Central to the prosecution's case is McLeod’s role at the center of the alleged assault and his subsequent attempts to manipulate the narrative surrounding the incident.

Mixed Messages and Contradictory Accounts

The crux of the defense's statement is that E.M. encouraged McLeod to call his teammates for what they described as a "wild night." In stark contrast, E.M. contends she was taken by surprise when others entered the room. Cunningham emphasized the absence of evidence supporting the defense's claim that E.M. invited the other players.

Text Messages Paint a Stark Picture

Cunningham leveraged McLeod's own text messages from the early hours of June 19, 2018, illustrating his intent to engage his teammates—asking them who wanted a "3-way quick" along with explicit texts suggesting sexual activity. Cunningham underscored how McLeod's failure to mention these texts during his police interviews indicated a deliberate attempt to misdirect the investigation.

Witness Testimonies Back Up the Claims

Witnesses Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk, who were present that night, testified that E.M. appeared uncomfortable, raising serious questions about her consent and desires regarding the evening's events. Their observations contradicted testimonies from other players that painted E.M. as an aggressor.

Defensive Strategies in the Spotlight

In stark contrast, defense attorney Julianna Greenspan attempted to downplay her client's involvement and claimed that Foote's actions—performing acrobatics over E.M.—were innocuous and playful rather than sexual. Greenspan questioned the credibility of the witnesses and criticized the intense media scrutiny surrounding the case as detrimental to the defendants' presumption of innocence.

A Case Shrouded in Controversy and Claims