Canada issues arrest warrants for former Hockey coach Graham James
Convicted sexual predator and former hockey coach, Graham James, is facing new sexual assault charges. Winnipeg police confirmed that arrest warrants had been issued for James on Tuesday. The authorities had been investigating “complaints of historic sexual
abuse” before finally issuing the warrants.
The hockey community was shocked when allegations of sexual abuse first surfaced against James. The coach was accused of sexual assault by former NHLer Sheldon Kennedy and another unnamed player.
The two alleged that they had suffered sexual abuse at the hands of the coach through 1984 to 1995. Kennedy brought forward the accusations against his former coach when James was in Calgary about to begin coaching a new Junior Hockey team. “And I remember
seeing Graham outside the locker-room with all these Hitmen kids”, Kennedy said. “I just knew that he was doing it. I knew what was going on”.
That was the breaking point for Kennedy and he felt he could no longer remain silent or let the abuse continue. Kennedy and the other unnamed player levied charges against James in 1996. In 1997 James pleaded guilty to three hundred and fifty sexual assaults.
He was sentenced to three and half years in prison but was paroled in his third year. The parole caused outrage in Canada and even invited calls for change in the Canadian parole system.
Further allegations of sexual abuse were brought against James, the Canadian Hockey Association and other hockey related organization in 2003, by a victim, who did not release his name. That civil lawsuit was settled out of court.
Now the decades old wounds have been reopened again as James faces fresh charges of sexual abuse. The charges are being brought on by Sheldon Kennedy’s one time teammate in the Calgary Flames, Theoron Fluery.
Both Fluery and Kennedy were coached by James in their teens and both made it into the NHL. The 42 year old Fluery is one of three new sexual assault victims, who have come forward since James was given a complete pardon in 2007.
Fluery said in Wednesday’s press conference that, if he had to, he would testify against James in court. “This really isn't about me anymore”, Fluery said. Referring to the issuing of arrest warrants and barely able to hold back his emotion, the former Calgary
Flames star said that he knew that this day would come.
“It's been an interesting day so far because I have all kinds of feelings going through my mind”, adding that he had already prepared himself for the day.
Fluery said that he wanted justice to be served the right way adding that the proceedings against James have to be well thought out and be supported by evidence so that Justice is found and served. His own ordeal has prompted Fluery to reach out to and help
victims of sexual abuse. He said that it was his new purpose in life. “I'm OK to stand out in front right now”, Fleury said. “But as we move forward, I'd like to have more people standing and walking beside me”.
Fluery first disclosed the truth about James in his autobiography.
The other victim, who is not being named, said that he was surprised that more people hadn’t come forward against James. “How is there only three? He is a serial pedophile. And he has a good lawyer and he is going to court to get the best deal he can. I
was hoping there was like 20 of us”, the man said. The unnamed man, who spoke to the Winnipeg Free Press, said that he was certain there were many more victims, who had not come forward.
James has been living in Guadalajara, Mexico and it’s unlikely that he would make a return to Canada any time soon. Due to the full pardon he received Mexican authorities have no access to his criminal record and neither can they list him as a convicted
s*x offender.
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