CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi has been arrested following four charges of sexual assault and one charge of choking.
Slate has announced that Canadian radio show host Jian Ghomeshi was arrested on four counts of sexual assault and one count of choking, after surrendering to police this morning.
According to The Star, the former CBC host surrendered to police on Wednesday morning, and received a $100,000 bail after appearing in court. His bail conditions include surrendering his passport, living with his mother in Ontario, and not contacting any of the alleged victims.
Nine women and one man have come forward as victims of Ghomeshi’s assault, including Trailer Park Boys actress Lucy DeCoutere. DeCoutere put out a statement via her spokesperson saying, “It has been an overwhelming and painful time for many people, including myself, but also very inspiring. I hope that victim’s voices continue to be heard and that this is the start of a change that is so desperately needed.”
After leaving the courthouse on Wednesday, Ghomeshi was escorted by police through a sea of media, and didn’t make any comments.
CBC reported that they fired Ghomeshi after CBC’s head of radio Chris Boyce, and head of public affairs Chuck Thompson, saw evidence of Ghomeshi’s sexual abuse via text messages sent by one of the victims.
After being fired, Ghomeshi wrote on his facebook denying any allegations of non-consensual sexual behavior. In response to his termination from CBC, Ghomeshi is dropping his $55 million lawsuit again CBC for “breach of confidence,” and is paying them $18,000 in legal fees.
The Star also reported that since his termination, Ghomeshi has been dropped from his publicity company, his publisher, his agent, the musician Lights, whom he managed for the last twelve years, and the Polaris Music Prize jury.
Ghomeshi is pleading not guilty to the chargers, and his lawyer Marie Henein stated to the press, “We will address these allegations fully and directly in a courtroom. It is not my practice to litigate my cases in the media.”
Before beginning his career as a radio host, Ghomeshi was a drummer and vocalist in the band Moxy Fruvous in the early 90s. From April 2007 until October 2014, Ghomeshi was the host of Q, a national arts magazine show, and the show was the highest rank for its time slot in CBC history.
Since three women came out in October about their alleged assault by Ghomeshi, he has lost his job, his publisher, and his musician, and now it is up to the law to determine whether these allegations are true.
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