Former Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart has been found not guilty of sexual assault after being acquitted by Justice Maria Carroccia on Thursday afternoon.
Hart, 26, was charged by London police with sexual assault in Jan. 2024, alongside Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Alex Formenton, and Cal Foote, in relation to the 2018 Hockey Canada incident.
All five players were acquitted of their respective charges after verdicts were read in London, Ontario, Thursday.
“Having found that I cannot rely upon the evidence of E.M. and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me,” Carroccia explained prior to reading the verdicts.
The trial involving Hart and the other four players began in April, with closing statements for the case made in June.
On Jan. 30, 2024, Hart's legal representation, Savards LLP, confirmed Hart was charged with one count of sexual assault, stating, "he is innocent and will provide a full response to this false allegation in the proper forum, a court of law. Until then, we have no comment.”
One week earlier, On Jan. 23, Hart requested and was granted an indefinite leave of absence by the Flyers.
In June 2024, ahead of free agency, the Flyers announced that Hart would not receive a qualifying offer, relinquishing his signing rights and parting ways with their former second-round pick.
Hart is currently an unrestricted free agent and has not played professional hockey since his last game with the Flyers on Jan. 20, 2024.
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