Sens’ AGM Randy Lee Charged with Harassment
He got his passport back on Monday, but has another court date scheduled
Update, June 4th
Monday’s court date has come and went. There aren’t very many details, but the end result of it is that Lee has his passport back and is free to leave the country and has another court date scheduled for June 22nd in Buffalo. Lee has pleaded not-guilty.
If that date stands out to you, it’s because it’s also the first day of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in Dallas.
The Senators later released the following statement, which confirms that the AGM will not be suspended.
.@sportingnewsca #Sens issue statement regarding AGM Randy Lee - "His status with the organization remains unchanged..." pic.twitter.com/mjlK6R1um3
— Murray Pam (@Pammerhockey) June 4, 2018
Original Report, June 2nd
Randy Lee, the Assistant General Manager of the Ottawa Senators, has been charged with harassment in relation to an incident with a hotel shuttle driver in Buffalo, NY. The hotel employee, a 19 year-old man, reported the incident to hotel security and the police after Lee allegedly made unwanted physical contact and lewd remarks.
Bruce Garrioch relayed the following quotes from Buffalo district attorney John Flynn in the Ottawa Citizen:
“Flynn said Lee was at a function at 716 when the teen driver from the Westin was dispatched to pick him up.
Flynn said Lee asked the driver if he could sit in the front seat and the young man agreed he could.
“In the course of the drive back to the Westin Hotel, Mr. Lee allegedly put his hands on (the young man’s) shoulders and allegedly made some lewd comments,” Flynn said. “The young man told him to ‘stop’ and don’t touch him.
“Mr. Lee allegedly didn’t stop and put his hand back on his shoulders again and started rubbing his shoulders. The young man again told him to stop.”
Flynn alleged that when they pulled up to the hotel, “Mr. Lee made a reference to his own private parts and made a vulgar, lewd statement to the 19-year-old again.”
The driver, shaken by the incident, immediately reported the matter to the head of security at the Westin and Buffalo police investigated Thursday.”
The Senators, for their part, released a statement this morning that read:
“We have been made aware of Randy Lee’s arraignment in Buffalo. The Ottawa Senators will always hold all members of the organization to the highest standards of behaviour, regardless of the environment in which they operate. To this end, we are reviewing the situation with the greatest of care, and will provide an update as soon as one is available”
They later updated the situation as follows:
Sens issue updated statement on Randy Lee situation. pic.twitter.com/6ckNMyJYpu
— Ian Mendes (@ian_mendes) June 1, 2018
These are troubling allegations, to say the least. The Sens’ second “update” that contains no additional information of substance, but does attempt to diminish the severity of the accusations, is painful to read. I don’t expect the team to take any further action until the legal process plays itself out.
We will continue to provide updates on the situation as more information becomes available.