Sexual assault trial of 5 ex-world junior hockey players begins in London, Ont., with jury selection

WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone who's been impacted by it.

Jury selection is set to begin today in the trial of five former NHL players accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a hotel in London, Ont., after a gala celebrating Canada's world junior hockey win in 2018. 

Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart and Alex Formenton are charged with one count each of sexual assault and will be at the Superior Court proceedings. They're expected to plead not guilty. McLeod faces an additional count of being party to the offence.

The trial, expected to last eight weeks, is a culmination of a years-long process that included a civil lawsuit, parliamentary hearings about how Hockey Canada handled the original allegations and investigation, and a reckoning with what some called a toxic culture in the game. 

Justice Maria Carroccia is presiding over the trial. Each player has his own team of lawyers and they'll have an opportunity to cross-examine the woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban. In court proceedings, she's been known as E.M. 

There is international interest in the case because of the high-profile players involved. All five members of the 2018 team went on to play pro hockey. 

McLeod and Foote were with the New Jersey Devils, Dubé was with the Calgary Flames and Hart was with the Philadelphia Flyers. Formenton was signed by the Ottawa Senators but was playing in Switzerland when the sexual assault charges were announced.

Anatomy of a Scandal

Foote and Hart aren't currently playing hockey, but McLeod and Dubé have been playing with Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) teams. Formenton has indicated he has left hockey and