Ex-Hockey Coach turns himself over to Canadian authorities to face sexual abuse charges
Earlier this month, arrest warrants were issued in former Hockey Coach Graham James’ name on allegations of sexual assault against former NHL star Theoren Fluery and two unnamed victims. James is now being charged with 9
new offences.
The coach had previously been convicted of sexual abuse over a decade ago. He was sentenced to serve 3 and half years in prison for three hundred and fifty counts of sexual assault against former NHLer Sheldon Kennedy and
another victim. James was paroled after 3 years and later granted a full pardon.
Sexual abuse charges were brought on against James in 2003 too but those were settled out of court. For the past few years James had settled in Guadalajara, Mexico. With the pardon, James could no longer be tracked by Mexican
authorities nor was his criminal record available to them. When the arrest warrant was issued it was believed that James would not return to face the charges.
But in a surprise moved James, flew into Canada and was arrested at the Pearson International Airport. He is now in custody of the Winnipeg police. Canadian police said that the arrest was a product of ‘thorough mutual agreement.’
Fluery expressed relief when he heard of the arrest. He said that now there was one less sexual predator on the streets and he could no longer harm children.
The fact that James voluntarily turned himself into custody is somewhat troubling for the victim too. In an interview with the Canadian press the victim said that he wasn’t sure what James’ intentions were. “It isn't as if
he is some fine, upstanding, rehabilitated, law-abiding citizen, no matter how hard he will try to make himself appear that way.”
James’ other victim in these new sexual assault charges, Theoren Fluery was not as pessimistic. He said that he understood that the legal process was complicated and that putting together an investigation, charges and other
things required time. Hence he was quite pleased with the event of the day. “We'll just keep moving forward and trust in the legal system that we'll get justice.”
The pardon that James received wipes his slate clean. The legal system cannot use his previous conviction in the prosecution. As far as the law is concerned, James now is indeed an ‘upstanding’ and ‘law-abiding’ citizen.
The crimes were allegedly committed decades ago and proving them with evidence now will not be easy. James’ first conviction came after he pleaded guilty. It wouldn’t make sense if James had come back from Mexico just to plead guilty. In all likelihood he
will fight the charges and if he willingly came back to fight them off, James must believe that he has a good chance of clearing his name in these allegations.
How the legal proceedings turn out is anyone’s guess and so is the effect it will have on the victims who came forward and any who did not. This marks an important even in their lives and how they deal with it depends on
each individual victim. In contrast to Fluery, the unnamed victim said that it was a good for society as a whole that James was behind bars and couldn’t hurt anyone else, but for him personally the arrest claws at old and still healing wounds. “It's not necessarily
so good for the three of us who came forward and who are now clearly in his sights.”
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