Toronto councillor's lawyer asks court to remove Crown in sexual assault case, alleging misconduct
CBC
WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
Toronto Coun. Michael Thompson's lawyer has asked an Ontario court to stay his sexual assault trial and remove the Crown attorney over alleged misconduct, an accusation the Crown called "frivolous" and a "thinly veiled" attempt to delay proceedings.
Thompson stands accused of two counts of sexual assault for alleged incidents that happened between him and two separate women at a Muskoka cottage in 2022.
On Monday, the fourth day of the trial in Bracebridge, Ont., the court in the judge-only trial heard from one of the complainants for the first time. The 35-year-old woman was called to the stand as a Crown witness.
The names of the complainants and the Crown's first witness, who took the stand last week, are protected under a publication ban.
But before the complainant entered the courtroom to take the stand, defence lawyer Leora Shemesh told the court she believed the Crown may have broken court orders. She said the Crown had tainted the witness's testimony by showing her photos that may come up in trial before she testified.
Shemesh said the witness should not have been shown the photos before her testimony, and the Crown was threatening Thompson's right to a fair trial.
Crown prosecutor Mareike Newhouse said she was simply preparing her witness, saying that was her legal duty.
The complainant was then allowed to take the stand for questioning from the Crown, but the defence would pick up the issue afterward.
During questioning from the Crown, the complainant alleged that during a small gathering at a Muskoka cottage over Canada Day weekend in 2022, which she had believed would be a networking opportunity, Thompson touched her buttocks and breasts under her bathing suit after applying sunscreen to her back.
The complainant said she met Thompson through a professional acquaintance after an art show in Yorkville in the spring of 2022. They met again before the summer at the collision convention in Toronto, she said, after which Thompson drove her and another person home, inviting the complainant to a small gathering of professionals at a Muskoka cottage for the Canada Day long weekend.
The complainant said she eventually accepted, but by then she was only available Sunday. So she said she asked if she could bring a friend, since she couldn't drive herself and wanted to have another person she knew at the cottage. Thompson said yes, so she and her friend, the other complainant in the case, drove up Sunday, she said.
They arrived around noon and only saw one car in the driveway when they arrived, the complainant said.
"I thought, this is really odd," she said.
Eight casinos across southwest B.C. have been sold to First Nations in the last two years, with the province's gambling scene set to be reshaped as a result.
Hamilton hosts the Junos Sunday, and the musical awards show is bringing tourists, musicians, concerts and a ton of themed events to the city this week.
The multi-million-dollar deal at the heart of a high-profile fight between the Canadian government and one of the world’s biggest carmakers contains multiple clauses about the company’s footprint in Ontario, according to a copy obtained by CBC Windsor.
In recent months, Calgary police have carried out three day-long safety blitzes, parading out dozens of officers to flood an area with their increased presence — at least, temporarily.
A national organization is seeking people with experience in Canada's forestry sector as they put together a working group that will examine ways to improve forest recovery following wildfires.
Ella Heyder is bracing for a breakup, even though she already moved out decades ago.
Shawne Hopkins never saw it coming.
Politicians return to Queen’s Park Monday for a shortened spring session, as Premier Doug Ford prepares to unveil his eight budget amid heightened global economic uncertainty.
Despite a recent announcement that a water supply pipeline will be build in Oneida Nation of the Thames, some members of the community say that's no excuse for taking water for granted.
As scandal has swirled around former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, questions and curiosity have also focused on his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Friday may have been the first day of spring, but winter storms are not over yet for Newfoundland.
While we officially welcomed spring last week, an incoming system will be a reminder that snow is still very much part of the new season, especially early on.
The future of a national historic site in Fredericton is up for discussion at meetings across New Brunswick in the next few weeks as the Anglican diocese considers what to do about costly repairs needed at Christ Church Cathedral.