Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Widow of slain Haitian president files lawsuit against suspects seeking trial and damages
Attorneys for the widow of slain Haitian President Jovenel Moise filed a lawsuit Thursday in Florida against those accused in his assassination, which is still under investigation.
The lawsuit, which was first shared with The Associated Press, seeks unspecified damages for Moise's family and a trial by jury in a push to hold the defendants responsible for the president's death.
"Whatever assets are out there, we will make sure these people will pay," attorney Paul Turner told the AP.
The lawsuit was filed nearly two years after the July 7, 2021 assassination of Moise, who was shot a dozen times at his private home in an attack that also seriously injured his wife, Martine Moise. More than 40 people have been arrested in the case, including a former Haitian senator, an ex-government official who worked at an anti-corruption agency and 18 former soldiers from Colombia.
Turner said he believes there are more people involved in the presidential assassination who have not been identified.
"We believe there are deep pockets or political power behind this," he said.
Eleven suspects are being held in U.S. federal prison as Turner lamented that the case is languishing in Haiti, where four judges appointed to oversee the investigation have been dismissed or resigned for personal reasons.
One judge previously told the AP that his family asked him not to take the case because they feared he would be killed. Another judge stepped down after one of his assistants died under murky circumstances.
Turner noted that while the U.S. government has kept him and Moise's family abreast of developments in the case, the Haitian government has not shared any information with them, including the inventory of personal assets that belonged to Moise and his family that local authorities seized after he was killed.
"We would like to see more transparency," he said.
A spokesperson for Haiti's Justice Ministry did not respond to a message seeking comment.
The lawsuit filed at a Miami circuit court accuses some of the suspects of causing the president's death and serious injury to his wife, Martine Moise, who was shot multiple times.
It also alleges 11 other counts including battery, assault, civil conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress, stating that "defendants engaged in extreme and outrageous conduct in conspiring to torture and assassinate President Moise.
"The implausible goal -- upon assassinating President Moise in cold blood -- was for the co-conspirators to install their own kangaroo government which would then summarily pardon the assassins. Setting aside the sheer insanity of their end game, the assassins succeeded in part," the lawsuit stated.
Eleven of the 12 people named in the suit remain in U.S. federal prison, except for one who is under house arrest.
Rodolphe Jaar, a Haitian-Chilean businessman who pled guilty to helping Colombian mercenaries obtain weapons, was sentenced to life in prison in early June. He is the first person to be convicted and sentenced in the case that has dragged on in Haiti.
"The family needs closure," Turner said. "We want every single person who participated in this assassination to be brought to justice."
------
Goodman reported from Miami.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.
Following child's death in Ontario, here's what you need to know about rabies and bats
An Ontario child died last month after coming into contact with a rabid bat in their bedroom, which was the first known human rabies case in Canada since 2019.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Anne Hathaway confirms 'Princess Diaries 3': 'Miracles happen'
You might be thinking, 'Shut up!' but it鈥檚 officially true: the 'Princess Diaries' franchise is finally growing.
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.
Local Spotlight
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.