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Surprise evidence over the weekend forced Jian Ghomeshi and his legal team to wait to hear from the final complainant in his sexual assault trial. The third and final woman didn’t reach the stand until about 11:30 this morning, that’s because there was a private hearing between the defence and crown after new evidence was brought to police last Friday. Despite the judge’s orders, the woman said she caught the tail end of a Ghomeshi story on CBC radio and decided to reveal several emails between her and the former CBC host to police.
Once on the stand, the woman, who can’t be identified, said she met Ghomeshi in the summer of 2003 in Toronto. The two later reconnected at a city park and would eventually “make out” on a park bench. She then described Ghomeshi biting and choking her. Much like the first two complainants, the third continued to spend time with Ghomeshi after the alleged assault. The two would meet at a restaurant and then a bar on King street. Both returned to her home for “romantic” interactions. It wasn’t until an argument at a party that the two would end their relationship.
Following mounting accusations against Ghomeshi, the woman reported the incident for the first time in October 2014. Police weren’t the only people she spoke to. Ghomeshi’s lawyer, Marie Henein, said that the witness exchanged 5 000 messages with Lucy DeCoutere, the second accuser in the case between October 2014 and September 2015.
Despite testifying that she never informed DeCoutere about her specific allegations, Henein revealed that both parties did share that information along with details on their respective meetings with the crown. The two also used the same lawyer and publicist for a time.
The cross examination will continue tomorrow.
