Friday, November 28, 2008
The Acquittal of David Frost
Sometimes the wheels of justice move slowly, and in some cases, not at all. I followed with intrigue the trial against former hockey coach/NHL player agent David Frost on sexual exploitation charges for incidents that happened over a decade ago. The allegations involved participating/watching his teenage players he coached perform sex acts with their girlfriends. His bizarre relationship with former NHLer Michael Danton, who is currently in prison for a botched murder-for-hire attempt on Frost, was revealed on CBC's Fifth Estate and many wondered how Frost wasn't also in jail himself. He had a history of inappropriate behaviour with his players, including assault & degrading hazing rituals. It was extremely uncomfortable listening to tapes of conversations between Frost and Danton after that arrest; at one point Frost insisting he tell him that he loves him. Remember, this conversation having taken place while Danton is behind bars for trying to kill him.
So this sexual exploitation trial basically rested on the credibility of two female witnesses who are now 28 years old. One thing I do not understand is that, while the players are considered victims as defined by the charges, their (at the time) teenage girlfriends are not. Can you imagine the horror you would feel as a parent of a 16 year old girl, revealing that she is having sex with her boyfriend and his 30 year-old hockey coach at the same time? The players' identities are under publication ban while the women who testified initially thought their identities would be protected, but they found out at the trial their names could be published. To me this reveals the ineptness of the prosecution, or perhaps they thought by misleading these witnesses this would be the only way they would come to trial in the first place?
The women decided to go ahead to testify despite this revelation. Their testimony involved pointing out David Frost being a participant in the sex acts or sometimes just an observer, as well as being controlling and manipulative towards the players he coached.
One of the woman's boyfriends said there were threesomes, but not with Frost, while the other boyfriend said there was none altogether. There was also mention that having threesomes was a "bonding" experience for the hockey players. In a very bizarre twist, one player originally said there were no threesomes, but then changed his testimony to say there were. However, Frost was not involved; he says it was actually Michael Danton was the third person. The reason he lied to the police was to "protect" Danton. But, Danton is already in jail for attempted murder; how exactly would lying about this fact be any more damaging to him?
The defense grilled the two women and theorized they lied about what happened to go after Frost. But how were they to gain from this? They initially agreed to testify thinking their identity would be under wraps, but still decided to testify knowing their friends and family would know everything that happened. There were no book deals or movie offers on the table for their story. The defence could not provide a single reason for the judge as to why these women would lie about this.
Perhaps I am biased from the previous actions of David Frost that I was disappointed to learn he was acquitted today. In the end, there were four witnesses: two hockey players who cannot be identified and two former girlfriends. Three out of the four said their were threesomes, two of those three said Frost was involved, while the other said Danton was the third party.
The judge found there was reasonable doubt to the charges, so Frost is now a free man.
The defense grilled the two women and theorized they lied about what happened to go after Frost. But how were they to gain from this? They initially agreed to testify thinking their identity would be under wraps, but still decided to testify knowing their friends and family would know everything that happened. There were no book deals or movie offers on the table for their story. The defence could not provide a single reason for the judge as to why these women would lie about this.
Perhaps I am biased from the previous actions of David Frost that I was disappointed to learn he was acquitted today. In the end, there were four witnesses: two hockey players who cannot be identified and two former girlfriends. Three out of the four said their were threesomes, two of those three said Frost was involved, while the other said Danton was the third party.
The judge found there was reasonable doubt to the charges, so Frost is now a free man.
# posted by SBP : 2:54 PM
Comments:
<< Home
Yup...a big joke!
I feel bad for those two girls who made a huge sacrifice and were let down...
Post a Comment
I feel bad for those two girls who made a huge sacrifice and were let down...
# posted by 
: 9:15 AM, November 29, 2008
: 9:15 AM, November 29, 2008Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
