A dramatic turn unfolded in the courtroom Wednesday as the legal team for Frank Stronach announced its intention to challenge the charges leveled against him. Defence counsel Leora Shemesh revealed plans to request a directed verdict, arguing the prosecution hasn’t presented sufficient evidence to secure a conviction on two specific counts.
The motion targets allegations made by the second and third complainants. Shemesh intends to argue that the account provided by the third complainant, detailing an alleged encounter in 1977, doesn’t align with the legal definition of attempted rape as it existed at that time. The legal team believes a not-guilty verdict is warranted based on the specifics of the historical legal framework.
Regarding the second complainant, the dispute centers on the precise timing of the alleged incident. Stronach is accused of assault, but the relevant criminal charge didn’t exist until 1983. Shemesh will contend that the woman’s testimony allows for the possibility the alleged groping occurred in 1982, before the law was in place.
The prosecution concluded its presentation of evidence Wednesday, with a friend and colleague of the seventh complainant taking the stand. The witness recounted a conversation years prior where the complainant first alluded to a disturbing experience, only identifying it as something “they were calling it now.”
The friend testified that the complainant’s reaction to news of Stronach’s arrest in June 2024 was striking. “The blood drained out of her face,” she recalled, as the complainant quietly stated, “It’s him,” finally connecting the arrest to the long-held, previously vague memory.
Following the arrest announcement, the friend accompanied the complainant to a police station in Mississauga, a location the witness found unusual given the complainant’s mention of Rooney’s, a Toronto venue once owned by Stronach. The friend was later surprised to be asked to provide her own statement to the police.
During cross-examination, the defence highlighted inconsistencies between the friend’s testimony and her original statement to police, specifically regarding the complainant’s mention of Rooney’s. Shemesh pressed the witness on the extent of their conversations following the police visit, questioning why crucial details weren’t initially disclosed.
The friend admitted that the complainant offered few details about the alleged incident, even after years of silence. She described the complainant as “quite distraught” and focused primarily on the impending charges, rather than recounting the events themselves. The defence repeatedly emphasized the lack of specific discussion and probing questions.
The trial, which began on February 12th, has seen testimony from all seven complainants, though cross-examination of the sixth complainant remains incomplete. The prosecution also seeks to withdraw a charge related to one of the complainants. The defence is now preparing to present its case, scheduled to begin next week, as the 93-year-old Stronach awaits the outcome.
A key element of the defence strategy appears to be challenging the clarity and consistency of the complainants’ recollections, and scrutinizing the timeline of events as they relate to the evolving legal definitions of the alleged offenses.
