Fresh allegations emerged over the weekend from a woman claiming former CBC host Jian Ghomeshi choked her while they were at his home.
The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous,told the Toronto Star she works in the music industry in Toronto and met Ghomeshi in 2013 at an industry event. They allegedly began a casual text relationship, with Ghomeshi, who was host of Q at the time, repeatedly asking her to hang out over several months. In July 2013, the woman accepted Ghomeshi's invitation to have dinner at his place. She told the Star nothing happened. Afterward, Ghomeshi continued to pursue her and she said she blew him off by pretending to be sick and making up other excuses. Eventually, she said she agreed to meet him for a drink on his rooftop.
"There was a different vibe than the first time. I thought, oh no, this is a thing," the woman told the Star.
While she was lying down on a reclining patio chair, she said Ghomeshi lunged on top of her and started making out with her forcefully, trying to shove his tongue down her throat. At the same time, the woman said Ghomeshi choked her with both hands. The woman said Ghomeshi also put one of his hands between her legs and said, "I'm going to fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk for a week."
The woman told the Star she managed to push Ghomeshi off and he then walked her to her car and gave her a kiss goodnight.
The woman said Ghomeshi continued to text her after the alleged incident, asking her to meet up again. She told the Star she deflected his invitations.
More than 20 women have come forward claiming Ghomeshi abused them.
While reading his not guilty verdict in Ghomeshi's sexual assault trial last month, Justice William Horkins said he found the post-incident behavior of the three complainants "odd" in that they continued having friendly interactions with Ghomeshi after they said he hurt them.
A woman who reported Ghomeshi to police, resulting in one of two sexual assault charges against him that was dropped prior to the trial, told the Star the Crown decided not to pursue the charge involving her after she revealed emails between herself and Ghomeshi that showed she was "extremely friendly" with him following the alleged assault. She said Ghomeshi squeezed her neck, slapped her, and put his hands in her mouth "like a dentist" in August 2002.
Experts on sexual violence have said keeping in touch with an abuser is normal for victims.
Part of Horkins' ruling came into question recently, when a Canadaland story pointed out Ghomeshi's lawyer Marie Henein never submitted evidence that proved Ghomeshi didn't drive a yellow Volkswagen bug in January 2003—which is the car the first witness Linda Redgrave said she remembers him having when he pulled her hair.
Under cross-examination Henein questioned the witness about the car, and seemed to suggest Ghomeshi might not have purchased that particular make and model until months later. Horkins, in his decision, said Redgrave's memory of the car was "demonstrably false."
One lawyer said that's grounds for the Crown to appeal the verdict because the defense never proved Redgrave was wrong.
But in a statement released Monday, the Ministry of the Attorney General said it would not be appealing.
"The Crown has concluded that there is no legal basis upon which to appeal the acquittals."
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