Defence asks Bracebridge judge to toss Crown from Toronto councillor's sex assault trial
Arguments are underway on Friday on a defence application in the trial of longtime Toronto Councillor Michael Thompson to dismiss the Crown Attorney on what was supposed to be the fifth day of trial in Bracebridge.
Defence lawyer Leora Shemesh, on behalf of her client, requested Justice Philop John Brissette stay a charge of sexual assault against Thompson or at least remove the current Crown counsel Mareike Newhouse as a remedy for an alleged “impropriety.”
Shemesh told the court Thompson’s charter right to a fair trial was compromised when the Crown showed the complainant a “racy” photo ahead of her testimony that she was depicted in.
Defence counsel said the photo showed the complainant appearing “comfortable” at the Port Carling cottage where the alleged sexual assault had taken place over Canada Day weekend in 2022.
It’s alleged Thompson sexually took advantage of the complainants at the cottage while the young women were drinking alcohol and may have been intoxicated.
The court has heard arguments from the defence that one of two complainants in the case was shown a photo by the Crown and the act violated a court-imposed witness exclusion order to prevent a witness from hearing or learning of the testimony made by other witnesses in trial.
The defence told the court the complainant’s evidence was “tainted” by the alleged breach of impartiality from the prosecutor when she gave a “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” preparatory “heads-up” about a photo to the complainant that had been entered into evidence during earlier witness testimony in trial and was addressed during defence cross-examination of the witness.
Defence lawyer Shemesh argued the Crown “has fundamentally misunderstood her role” as a prosecutor by violating a court order excluding witnesses from hearing evidence prior to their testimony and acted instead as an advocate for the complainant.
Thompson, 64, faces two counts of sexual assault from the younger women, whose identities are protected by a publication ban.
The Crown told the court the women were provided marijuana and alcohol at the cottage by Thompson and his female friend, an older woman, whom the younger women said promised mentorship and networking opportunities at the cottage getaway alongside Thompson.
One witness testified she felt she was being groomed for sexual assault at the cottage and likened Thompson’s friend to convicted sex offender and former partner of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The matter is scheduled to return to court in December.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former Alberta teacher sentenced to 4 years for sexually assaulting student
A former Alberta teacher has been sentenced to four years for sexually abusing a student.
Ontario plans to bar international students from medical schools starting in 2026
Ontario will not allow international students in medical schools beginning in the fall of 2026, and will also cover tuition for more than 1,000 students who commit to becoming a family doctor in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford said Friday.
Here's a look at Musk's contact with Putin and why it matters
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of major government contractor SpaceX and a key ally of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the last two years, The Wall Street Journal reported.
DEVELOPING Four arrested in Poland over alleged plot to send explosives via courier to Canada, U.S.
Polish authorities have arrested four individuals they allege planned to send parcels containing camouflaged explosives and dangerous materials to Canada and the United States, according to Poland’s government website.
DNA tests identify 19th-century teenager's skull found in Illinois home's wall
Investigators have determined that a skull discovered in the wall of an Illinois home in 1978 was that of an Indiana teenager who died more than 150 years ago, authorities announced Thursday.
Mother sues AI chatbot company Character.AI, Google over son's suicide
A Florida mother has sued artificial intelligence chatbot startup Character.AI, accusing it of causing her 14-year-old son's suicide in February and saying he became addicted to the company's service and deeply attached to a chatbot it created.
Mom and child jumped from a window to escape a Las Vegas fire that killed 2 children and 2 adults
Two adults and two children were found dead in the charred rubble of a house fire after a mother and another child jumped from a third-floor window to escape flames in a southwest Las Vegas neighborhood, authorities said.
'Well-man' remains found at a castle have been linked to an 800-year-old Norse saga
Researchers have connected the identity of skeletal remains found in a well at Norway’s Sverresborg castle to a passage in a centuries-old Norse text.
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO pleads not guilty to sex trafficking and prostitution charges
The former longtime CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch pleaded not guilty Friday to federal sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges.