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Flyers prospect Cousins charged with sexual assault


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Flyers prospect Cousins charged with sexual assault

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Dave Isaac

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Camp opens for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Wednesday but Nick Cousins, arguably the Flyers’ top prospect, and two of his teammates are in hot water instead of on the ice.

Cousins, 19, along with Mark Petaccio and Phoenix Coyotes 2011 draft pick Andrew Fritsch was charged with sexual assault Saturday, according to a release from the Sault Ste. Marie police.

The release says that Cousins and Fritsch are due in court on Oct. 1.

In response, the Greyhounds organization posted the following statement on its website:

Earlier today our organization was made aware of accusations involving three members of our hockey program.

Over the course of time that each of these players has been part of our program we have seen each of them make excellent strides both on and off the ice. The strides made over each young man’s tenure here are what makes today’s situation so surprising.

Our Hockey Club will continue to perform our duty in supporting the three members of our team as they go through the legal process. Our Hockey Club will now allow the legal process to run its due course at this time. We will also continue to support the investigation of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services in any way possible.

Cousins was the Flyers’ third-round pick in the 2011 NHL draft and signed his entry-level contract with the team back in March. After scoring 35 goals and 53 assists in 65 games with the Greyhounds last year in the OHL, Cousins’ play opened some eyes at the Flyers’ prospect camp in July.

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They say these things happen in threes.....Meszaros, Lilja, and now Cousins. Let's hope that's it.

Greetings All:

I am sitting home with occasional squalls of 40MPH as Isaac passes through. It looks like the West Coast and maybe New Orleans may get the brunt of this critter.

I read this and think the following. One--the team is correct in asserting that we need to see where the legal process goes. Two, is this one of those situations where poor judgment is the real problem (i.e., not so much forcible sex but related behaviors that will be spun that way), and what does that say about this guy (yes, shades of Tibbetts), And third, I suspect there is only so much our scouts can learn about people. One way or the other, this will probably stunt his career development, either psychologically or via time lost through litigation.

Best to all,

Howie

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Three Soo Greyhounds' players are accused of sexually assaulting a female.

The alleged incident happened Friday at a central-area residence, said Sgt. Terry Biocchi of Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.

Each player is accused of having sexual intercourse with an adult female. She reported the incident to police.

The charges, made Saturday, were released by Sault Ste. Marie Police Service early Sunday morning.

In a statement, the Ontario Hockey League team will support the trio "as they go through the legal process."

"Over the course of time that each of these players has been part of our program we have seen each of them make excellent strides both on and off the ice," a release said.

"The strides made over each young man's tenure here are what makes today's situation so surprising."

Nick Cousins, 19, of Belleville, Ont., Andrew Fritsch, 19, of Brantford, and Mark Petaccio, 18, of Sicklerville, N.J., were charged with sexual assault.

Cousins and Fritsch have a court date of Oct. 1.

Petaccio appears in bail court on Monday. That appearance is due to his American citizenship.

“If he disappears from here, he's gone,” said Biocchi.

“We're asking that he attend bail court for specific conditions.”

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I remember when Ed Jovoanovski was a Spit, him and 2 other kids were charged with a similiar incident. Not an excuse, but it's gotta be a tough mix, just discovering your sexuality and ego, and being a recognized member of the community that chicks want to sleep with. Throw in the fact they are potential future millionaries, and you have a situation where these kids can be really taken advantage of....not saying that happened here, but that was the case with Eddie and the boys...a puck bunny who decided she didn't want it "after the fact".

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Three Soo Greyhounds' players are accused of sexually assaulting a female.

The alleged incident happened Friday at a central-area residence, said Sgt. Terry Biocchi of Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.

Each player is accused of having sexual intercourse with an adult female. She reported the incident to police.

The charges, made Saturday, were released by Sault Ste. Marie Police Service early Sunday morning.

In a statement, the Ontario Hockey League team will support the trio "as they go through the legal process."

"Over the course of time that each of these players has been part of our program we have seen each of them make excellent strides both on and off the ice," a release said.

"The strides made over each young man's tenure here are what makes today's situation so surprising."

Nick Cousins, 19, of Belleville, Ont., Andrew Fritsch, 19, of Brantford, and Mark Petaccio, 18, of Sicklerville, N.J., were charged with sexual assault.

Cousins and Fritsch have a court date of Oct. 1.

Petaccio appears in bail court on Monday. That appearance is due to his American citizenship.

“If he disappears from here, he's gone,” said Biocchi.

“We're asking that he attend bail court for specific conditions.”

Oh these guys are screwed...hate punks who try to take stuff like that from females...hopefully it's not true, but if it is they need to be punished. Just don't understand peoples need to take/force sex on unwilling women...there are plenty out there that will comply...find one it aint' hard...like i said i hope that this all isn't true, but if it is so be it...they will be punished.

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I remember when Ed Jovoanovski was a Spit, him and 2 other kids were charged with a similiar incident. Not an excuse, but it's gotta be a tough mix, just discovering your sexuality and ego, and being a recognized member of the community that chicks want to sleep with. Throw in the fact they are potential future millionaries, and you have a situation where these kids can be really taken advantage of....not saying that happened here, but that was the case with Eddie and the boys...a puck bunny who decided she didn't want it "after the fact".

A little "buyer's remorse".

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@DinahMoeHumm

lol, ........but unfortunately the situation is far from funny.

As for the ramifications of the trio being charged, the Greyhounds could find themselves short-handed during games in American cities.

“A conviction would definitely keep them out (of the United States),” a U.S. immigration supervisor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Sunday. “But in this case, with people who've been charged, we look at those cases on an individual basis.”

During the 2012-2013 season, the Hounds are scheduled to play seven times in Michigan, four against Saginaw and three versus Plymouth.

They also play once in Pennsylvania, visiting the Erie Otters.

Not only that, much of the Hounds travel schedule involves crossing the International Bridge into Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., en route to games against Ontario-based teams such as Sarnia, London, Kitchener, Guelph etc.

“Bail conditions would have to be looked at before they could enter the United States,” the immigration supervisor said of individuals who've been charged with sexual assault. “They could be allowed to cross, but we'd have to ascertain whether they'd be a flight risk.”

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/08/26/players-on-ohls-greyhounds-accused-of-sex-assault

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Greyhound Petaccio gets bail

Mark Petaccio, one of three Soo Greyhounds players charged with sexually assaulting a woman, was released from custody following a bail hearing Monday.

Justice of the Peace Jill Morris released the 18-year-old American citizen on his own recognizance on $1,500 bail ($500 cash deposit and $1,000 no deposit).

Assistant Crown attorney Karen Pritchard consented to the release.

Publication bans, requested by the Crown and defence counsel Don Orazietti, prohibit reporting any evidence, representations made, any reasons given, or any information that may identify the complainant.

Petaccio, who is from Sicklerville, N.J., wept after his handcuffs had been removed and he hugged his parents in the basement hallway of the Sault Ste. Marie courthouse.

His bail has a number of conditions including no communication with the complainant and a requirement that he notify city police 24 hours in advance of any change of address.

He can have no communication or association with his co-accused Nick Cousins and Andrew Fritsch outside of working business for the Greyhound organization.

Petaccio will return to court Oct. 1, the same day as Cousins and Fritsch, who were released from custody after they were charged.

He was held for bail court because of his American citizenship. Cousins, 19, of Belleville, Ont. and Fritsch, 19, of Brantford are also charged with sexual assault.

City police say the alleged incident occurred Friday at a central-area residence.

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lol, ........but unfortunately the situation is far from funny.

Of course. Whenever you have a situation where the only recourse you have to allow yourself to even remotely accept it is to make light of it, then you have a problem. I have 14-year-old and 12-year-old daughters. Trust me, the seriousness is not lost on me at all.

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@hf101 This is the *exact* same thing that happened when 3 Spits where charged....same "they won't be able to pursure a pro career", same bail conditions....which was pretty upsetting for Spits fans considering Eddie Jovo was due to go first overall the following summer. They turned about to all be innocent, but the way the law works in Canada, if they can find anything co-oberating the ladies/girls story, they charge first and ask questions later, all they need is reasonable and probable grounds to charge them, a pretty vague set of rules there....they have the attitude, let the courts sort it out. In Eddie's case, the crown said there was not enough evidence to convict, so the charges were dropped....which leads me to ask....why charge them in the first place?? Also, his lawyer, Don Tait threated to sue the accuser, which moved things along quicker.

http://articles.sun-...t-ed-jovanovski

I will reserve judgement on Cousins until the legal process takes it's course, because I've seen these things spin out of control before. Perhaps Eddie got off easy, who knows, but the lack of evidence shows how quick they are to charge.

Edited by jammer2
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@hf101 This is the *exact* same thing that happened when 3 Spits where charged....same "they won't be able to pursure a pro career", same bail conditions....which was pretty upsetting for Spits fans considering Eddie Jovo was due to go first overall the following summer. They turned about to all be innocent, but the way the law works in Canada, if they can find anything co-oberating the ladies/girls story, they charge first and ask questions later, all they need is reasonable and probable grounds to charge them, a pretty vague set of rules there....they have the attitude, let the courts sort it out. In Eddie's case, the crown said there was not enough evidence to convict, so the charges were dropped....which leads me to ask....why charge them in the first place?? Also, his lawyer, Don Tait threated to sue the accuser, which moved things along quicker.

http://articles.sun-...t-ed-jovanovski

I will reserve judgement on Cousins until the legal process takes it's course, because I've seen these things spin out of control before. Perhaps Eddie got off easy, who knows, but the lack of evidence shows how quick they are to charge.

Jammer, the problem is the women is going to say she didn't give consent where as the players will say she did. And if it goes to court then everything comes out in the open which means the woman might not want some stuff to come out. The sad part is if she did give consent but afterwards changed her mind and said she didn't, if it goes to court the players lawyers are goign to drag her name throught the mud protraying her as a slut that she has slept with lots of other people. Makes you wonder how she got herself in that situation in the first place. But like you said you wonder why the charges were done in the first place if there was consent. Unfortunately in the old days of junior hockey, incidents like this or players getting caught driving drunk would have never made the media, it would have been kept hush, hush. I guess the league and police forces have changed the way they handle junior players now.

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