Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin acquitted of sexual assault | 24CA News
Quebec choose Richard Meredith has acquitted Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin — the senior navy commander who as soon as led Canada’s vaccine rollout — of 1 depend of sexual assault stemming from an allegation courting again greater than 30 years.
On Monday, Meredith mentioned he was not satisfied past an affordable doubt that Fortin was the perpetrator on this case.
“I am so relieved by the judge’s decision today,” Fortin informed reporters exterior the courtroom. “I did not do what I was accused of. Did not.”
The complainant mentioned she was “100 per cent without a doubt” that it was Fortin who sexually assaulted her in 1988 whereas they each attended the Royal Military College in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. Her id is protected beneath a court-ordered publication ban.
The choose mentioned he believes the complainant was sexually assaulted however wasn’t satisfied past an affordable doubt that the assailant was Fortin.
Meredith mentioned the courtroom cannot count on a complainant to recollect the whole lot however there have been vital contradictions in her testimony.
WATCH | ‘I’m not responsible and I’m harmless:’ Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin
Warning: This video offers with sexual assault allegations. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin expresses his aid after being acquitted of 1 depend of sexual assault.
For instance, the complainant informed navy police investigators that Fortin spoke throughout the alleged incident and he or she acknowledged his voice. While testifying throughout the trial, nevertheless, the complainant mentioned he did not communicate.
The complainant additionally mentioned she acknowledged Fortin throughout the assault as a result of they have been collectively day by day. The courtroom concluded they weren’t collectively on daily basis.
Judge says Fortin’s testimony was constant
The choose mentioned the proof confirmed that, on the time, about 90 per cent of scholars on the Royal Military College have been males.
He mentioned the complainant described an assailant who had the identical construct, hair color and haircut as many individuals and provided no particular identifiable options.
The complainant additionally testified that mild from the car parking zone was shining into her room throughout the assault. Fortin had maps of the car parking zone and campus that confirmed the lights weren’t as shut because the complainant remembered, and advised the lighting might have been fainter and never excellent for recognizing somebody, the choose mentioned.
Meredith mentioned that whereas he believes the complainant was assaulted and her testimony was honest, she needed to present past an affordable doubt that it was Fortin.
The choose mentioned Fortin claimed he had by no means set foot within the complainant’s room. His testimony was clear and constant, he added.
Fortin was seen hugging members of the family and others within the courtroom after the choose delivered his ruling. He held his spouse’s hand throughout the ruling. It took the choose about an hour to ship his resolution.
“This is a huge burden off our shoulders, my shoulders, and that of my family,” he mentioned exterior the courtroom.
Crown lawyer Diane Legault referred to as the ruling disappointing.
“I think the judge decided to permit the accused benefit from being put into doubt,” she informed reporters.
Legault mentioned she needs to learn the 20-page resolution earlier than deciding whether or not to attraction.
Fortin combating for his previous place again
Fortin can also be difficult in Federal Court his removing by the federal authorities from the vaccine marketing campaign. His attraction date has not been set but.
After being dropped from the vaccine marketing campaign, Fortin was briefly assigned to a place as senior adviser to Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command at headquarters in Ottawa. But Fortin’s attorneys argued in Federal Court that he’s sitting at dwelling and isn’t being assigned any work, which they are saying constitutes aid of efficiency of navy responsibility.
On Monday, he informed reporters he is consulting along with his attorneys about subsequent steps.
“This is one important step in an ongoing process to prove my innocence and recover my reputation,” mentioned Fortin.
“From the start, senior military leaders and political decision makers presumed and acted as if I were guilty. I was denied due process.”
Fortin mentioned he has no plans to retire from the navy.
The Canadian navy has been rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct towards its senior leaders. Fortin was certainly one of a number of present and former senior Canadian navy leaders who’ve been investigated, criminally charged or compelled into retirement since 2021 from a number of the most prestigious posts within the defence institution.
“I can see that the complainant genuinely believes she was assaulted,” Fortin mentioned Monday, studying from an announcement.
“Victims of assault need and deserve our support. The fact, though, is that I was nowhere close to her room the night in question or at any other time.”
