Eric Tillman Trial Date Set

((HT: TSN/Regina Leader-Post))

The man who helped lead the Saskatchewan Riders to the Grey Cup Championship in 2007 is heading to court to face a trial on a sexual assault charge.

Eric Tillman was not at the provincial courthouse in Regina on Friday when two weeks were set aside for the trial starting January 4.

"I'm not sure that it will take that long. It is a summary matter, assuming it does go ahead, it might take that long," Tillman's lawyer, Aaron Fox, told reporters outside the courthouse.

A summary matter is considered to be less serious than an indictable offence. A summary conviction for sexual assault carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in jail, while an indictable sexual assault conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Fox wouldn't comment on how complex the trial might be. He suggested that it is possible that the case might not proceed to trial.

"Anybody that's been on the court beat knows that because the matter gets set down for trial things can change and that certainly always is a possibility and that is a possibility here too," he said.

Friday's court appearance came one day after a case management meeting was held with lawyers for both sides and a judge. Fox called it an "off the record" meeting and declined to say what was discussed.

Tillman, 51, was arrested January 27. The charge followed a complaint by a 16-year-old girl who alleges he sexually assaulted her last summer. When news of the allegations broke February 3, the married father of two suggested there was more to the story and said he would rely on the justice system to air the facts.

Fox said Tillman is disappointed the case is going to trial.

"It's not a good time for him. There's no question about that," he said.

Tillman has been on paid administrative leave from the Canadian Football League club since the charge was laid.

Roughriders president Jim Hopson said Friday that the situation hasn't changed.

"He remains on administrative leave," said Hopson.

"We anticipated that this could drag on for the whole year so it's not a total surprise. We wish of course that there was a conclusion. There isn't, but we'll continue as we are and we're quite comfortable in doing that."

Hopson said Riders head coach Ken Miller will continue running football operations and Tillman will act as a consultant behind the scenes. Tillman isn't on the playing field.

Hopson also said he doesn't think the situation is a hurting the Riders.

"One of the things we've seen from our fan base is a tremendous level of understanding and sort of acceptance that this is a personal issue, this not a football issue," Hopson said while standing at the sidelines of the team's training camp at Mosaic Stadium.

Eric Tillman Pleads Not Guilty

And he didn't even have to be present to be there...

Jana Pruden of the Regina Leader-Post was there not to see Tillman enter the plea in court...

Saskatchewan Roughriders general manager Eric Tillman has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl, but defence lawyer Aaron Fox (pictured, thanks Brian Schlosser/Leader-Post)) maintains that "anything" could happen before the matter is set down for trial.

"The options would be anything," Fox told a flock of media gathered outside Regina Provincial Court on Tuesday. "The ultimate option would be actually setting a trial date, but some resolution could take place, and it would be really wrong to speculate what that might be."

Fox entered the not guilty plea in court on Tillman's behalf. Tillman isn't required to be present in court, and he hasn't appeared for any of his previous court appearances.

The case has now been set down for a case management conference on the morning of June 11, and will be back in docket court on June 12.

A case management conference is a private meeting between counsel and a judge, where issues around disclosure, witnesses, exhibits and other matters related to the case are addressed outside of open court.

The procedure is similar to that used to prepare before trials in Court of Queen's Bench, and is increasingly being used in Provincial Court as well.

"This takes place all the time," Fox said. "This isn't the only case that this is happening to in Provincial Court ... it's just you're more interested in this one."
The media are typically barred from pre-trial meetings, where the strengths and weaknesses of a case are discussed candidly by the parties involved. The accused doesn't usually attend the meeting unless he or she is representing themselves.

If the case is going to proceed to trial after the June 11 meeting, Fox said, a trial date could be fixed at that time. Still, Fox left the option open for another outcome.

"Obviously something could happen between now and the June date, and something may come out of the discussions at the June meeting which might lead to a resolution, and that could be anything, so there's always that possibility," he said.

When pressed on what "anything" could mean, Fox would not elaborate.

Because pre-trial conferences are closed, it is somewhat unusual that criminal charges are stayed in those private meetings -- but it does happen.

Tillman was charged with sexual assault in January, after a six-month investigation into a complaint brought forward by a 16-year-old girl last summer.

Asked how Tillman is feeling, Fox said the matter is "certainly causing a degree of anxiety," and said his client would like to see it move ahead.

Sarah Kemmere was there for the television side of things and reports for GlobalTV in Regina by clicking in black...