Judge at Ghomeshi sex assault trial to review evidence from Crown witness
Posted Feb 10, 2016 04:00:03 AM.
Last Updated Feb 10, 2016 06:26:35 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO – Jian Ghomeshi’s sexual assault trial is to resume today in a Toronto court with closing submissions expected on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the presiding judge agreed to look at evidence from one final witness the Crown wanted to call in the closely watched case.
Crown lawyer Michael Callaghan told court the witness would corroborate allegations made at the trial by Lucy DeCoutere, who testified that Ghomeshi choked her and slapped her while they were kissing in his bedroom in 2003.
Ghomeshi’s defence team had opposed calling the witness, saying DeCoutere’s cross-examination showed the “the breadth and scope” of her dishonesty.
The witness was unable to travel to Toronto to testify in person, so the Crown and the defence agreed to present the judge with a transcript of the woman’s statement to police as well as Facebook messages she exchanged with DeCoutere.
Ghomeshi has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking. The 48-year-old former host of CBC Radio’s “Q” acknowledged in 2014 that he engaged in rough sex acts, but said it was consensual.
