Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial: Howden's Testimony Under Scrutiny
The Hockey Canada sexual assault trial continues with significant focus on the testimony of Vegas Golden Knights center, Brett Howden. His recollections and related text messages have become pivotal points of contention in the proceedings.
Howden's Testimony: Key Observations
Howden, a teammate of the accused players during the 2018 World Junior Championships, testified about his memories of events. This included hearing what he believed was the complainant crying in a hotel room. He also recounted a conversation where Alex Formenton sought his opinion before any engagement.
Text Message Controversy
A central dispute involves text messages exchanged between Howden and Taylor Raddysh. These messages discussed Dillon Dube's alleged slapping incident.
Legal Challenges and Rulings
The Crown's attempts to admit these texts as evidence faced initial rejection from Judge Maria Carroccia due to concerns about their reliability. Subsequently, the Crown pursued a hearsay application. A ruling on the admissibility of the texts is expected on Monday.
Howden also underwent cross-examination about these texts. The trial continues, and the admissibility of the messages remains a critical factor.
