The Crown is challenging a recent decision to declare a mistrial in the sexual assault conviction of Frank Stronach. The wealthy entrepreneur was convicted of sexual assault and indecent assault in June in relation to allegations from two women in his Toronto trial. However, a mistrial was declared on the sexual assault charge by Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy after the presentation of emails from the woman’s lawyer related to a civil complaint.
Stronach’s lawyer, Leora Shemesh, argued that the content of the emails contradicted the woman’s testimony in the criminal trial. Shemesh mentioned that the woman did not provide her input before the mistrial decision was made. Initially facing twelve charges dating back to the late 1970s and 1990s involving seven complainants, Stronach saw one charge withdrawn by prosecutors before being found not guilty on four others.
Following the completion of the trial in April, the judge determined that Stronach could not be convicted on two charges due to the unreliable account of one complainant. This left Stronach with five charges related to three complainants, leading to his conviction on two counts. Stronach is awaiting sentencing in September for the indecent assault conviction. In response to his conviction, the town of Aurora, Ontario, has decided to remove Stronach’s name from a local recreation complex.
