Prosecutors Drop Three Charges in Stronach Assault Trial

In Toronto, prosecutors in the sexual assault trial of auto parts magnate Frank Stronach announced on Monday that they are dropping three charges against the 93-year-old billionaire, leaving seven counts involving four women. Stronach, founder of Magna International, has pleaded not guilty to all remaining allegations, which stem from incidents dating back to the 1970s.

The decision by Crown attorney Jelena Vlacic came as the defense began presenting its case in Ontario Superior Court, following the close of the prosecution's evidence last week. Vlacic stated that, after reviewing the testimony, there was no longer a reasonable prospect of convicting Stronach beyond a reasonable doubt on the three sexual assault charges related to three of the original seven complainants. The trial, which started in mid-February after some delays, initially involved 12 charges, including earlier withdrawals of a forcible confinement count and an attempted assault charge.

The dropped charges involved complainants whose testimonies faced significant challenges during cross-examination. One witness, who had an emotional breakdown on the stand, provided rambling and garbled evidence, leading Justice...