Jian Ghomeshi faces five charges in sexual assault investigation
Former CBC host Jian Ghomeshi is facing five charges in relation to a sexual assault investigation. He appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon and was released on $100,000 bail.
Mr. Ghomeshi, 47, was charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count of “overcome resistance – choking,” Toronto police said in a news release.
According to the Criminal Code, anyone found guilty of attempting to choke someone to overcome their resistance to the commission of an indictable offence faces a maximum punishment of life in prison. Sexual assault carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Mr. Ghomeshi was charged on Wednesday morning after surrendering to police.
His lawyer, Marie Henein, did not immediately respond to phone and e-mail messages.
At a downtown luncheon on Wednesday, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair told reporters he has “no additional information” on the charges and that he would not comment further because the matter is now before the courts. “Other than the information we released earlier, I have nothing to add to that,” he said.
The chief did add, however, that he would encourage any victims of sex assault to come forward to police. “I want to offer them my assurance that they will be treated with dignity and respect, that my people are well trained in these investigations and in dealing with concerns that victims may have.”
The CBC’s head of public affairs, Chuck Thompson, said in an e-mail, “We don’t comment on criminal investigations.”
In recent weeks, at least three women have lodged formal police complaints against the former radio star and host of the cultural affairs show Q.
The CBC fired Mr. Ghomeshi on Oct. 26, three days after lawyers representing him showed two CBC executives photos, e-mails, text messages and video that showed what CBC leaders later described as “graphic evidence that Jian Ghomeshi caused physical injury to a woman.”
Mr. Ghomeshi decided to show the CBC the evidence as proof that his sexual encounters, which he has said were sometimes “rough,” were also consensual.
Since then, at least nine women have spoken to several media outlets, alleging they suffered physical and sexual abuse or sexual harassment from Mr. Ghomeshi. None of the allegations has been proven, and two of the women revealed their names – actor Lucy DeCoutere and Reva Seth, a lawyer and author.
In a 1,586-word statement posted to Mr. Ghomeshi’s Facebook page the day of his firing, and since removed, the ousted host said, “I’ve done nothing wrong.” He also claimed that “everything I have done has been consensual,” and that he had been dismissed “because of what I do in my private life.”
On Tuesday, the CBC and a lawyer representing Mr. Ghomeshi confirmed the two sides had reached an agreement that will see Mr. Ghomeshi withdraw a $55-million lawsuit he had filed against the CBC, and pay the public broadcaster $18,000 in costs. He has decided to address his firing through a union grievance instead, “in binding arbitration in accordance with the collective agreement between them,” according to his lawyer, Jonathan Lisus.
The CBC has hired employment lawyer Janice Rubin to conduct an internal, independent investigation into any claims of harassment or abuse on the shows Mr. Ghomeshi hosted in his time at the broadcaster.
Before his dismissal, Mr. Ghomeshi had been the face of a fast-expanding show reaching younger listeners who have sometimes been elusive to the CBC. But several current and former Q staff have described a toxic work environment at the program, and the CBC’s executive vice-president of English services, Heather Conway, has said earlier efforts to address the culture at Q were not sufficient.
Ms. Conway has also described Mr. Ghomeshi as “egomaniacal” and “tyrannical,” and said he deliberately misled the CBC about his conduct.
Mr. Ghomeshi’s last public statement came in late October, when he wrote on his Facebook page that “I intend to meet these allegations directly.”