Former Alouettes player found not guilty

Former CFL player Michael Carter was found not guilty on six counts of sexual assault and sexual exploitation related to his time as a counselor at a high school in Windsor, Ontario.

The verdict was handed down Wednesday by Ontario Superior Court Judge Brian Dube, who concluded that the Crown had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to the ruling reported by the Windsor Star, the judge noted significant inconsistencies in the testimony of the three complainants, all former students. They alleged that Carter made inappropriate sexual remarks and engaged in inappropriate conduct in 2022. The court found certain parts of their testimonies to be contradictory, even tinged with resentment, which undermined the prosecution's entire case.

In his ruling, however, Judge Dube emphasized that the defendant had demonstrated a significant lack of professional judgment. He specifically criticized the fact that he drove students home, kept their personal phone numbers, communicated with them outside of school channels, and shared details about his sex life. While these behaviors were deemed professionally inappropriate, they were not sufficient to warrant a criminal conviction.

A sports career marked by the CFL and a controversial end

At the time of the alleged incidents, Michael Carter was working for the Greater Essex County School Board as a school counselor and was active in several schools. He had also been involved for several years in the local football community as a coach and mentor to young athletes. He has not held these positions since his arrest in March 2022.

The former linebacker was selected 19th overall in the 2011 CFL Draft by the British Columbia Lions. He went on to play seven seasons in the league, representing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Montreal Alouettes, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Edmonton Roughriders, and the Toronto Argonauts. Over his career, he played in 65 games, including eight starts, recording 34 defensive tackles and 19 on special teams.

Carter had previously been acquitted in a separate sexual assault case in January, also before the Ontario Superior Court.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.