(Vancouver) A jury has found former Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen not guilty of sexual assault.
Posted at 1:54 p.m.
Virtanen burst into tears as the verdict was read in the Supreme Court of British Columbia on Tuesday.
Virtanen was charged in January with sexual assault in connection with an incident in a downtown Vancouver hotel room in September 2017.
The 25-year-old former NHL player told court last week that the woman was an “enthusiastic participant” in the meeting.
The 23-year-old, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, testified that she repeatedly said “no” and told Virtanen she did not want to have sex with him.
Virtanen was playing right wing for the Canucks when the allegations surfaced in May 2021. The team furloughed him and bought out his contract the following month.