Notorious ‘Roofie Romeo’ acquitted in Montreal sexual assault case
Complainant’s testimony was inconsistent, judge says
Warning: This story contains graphic content.
A Montreal man — one of the “Roofie Romeos” in a high-profile rape case in the U.S. — was acquitted Thursday in an unrelated sexual assault case at the Montreal courthouse. In June 1998, a jury in California found Georgi Spitzer guilty of kidnapping, sodomy and five counts of rape, while his twin brother, Stefan, was found guilty of rape, sodomy and sexual battery.
The brothers, who had left Canada in the 1980s with dreams of becoming Hollywood actors, came to be known as the “Roofie Twins” even before their trial in the U.S. began.
The nickname came from Rohypnol, commonly referred to as a “date-rape drug,” which the bothers used on their victims. Their recordings of the rapes were later discovered by police.
The case was profiled in People magazine and the Spitzers were featured in a documentary series about twin brothers on the Discovery Channel.
The brothers were sentenced to lengthy prison terms, including a 60-year sentence for Georgi. But the sentences were significantly reduced on appeal, and the brothers eventually returned to Canada and settled in Montreal.
In August 2014, a Montreal woman alleged that Georgi Spitzer, now 63, sexually assaulted her while they were in a relationship and after she confronted him over her son’s missing gold chain.
She told police they were alone in his apartment when she told him their relationship was over and he replied: “Well, let’s have sex.”
She told police — and repeated during Spitzer’s trial last year — that he forced her onto his bed and penetrated her with a sharp object she did not believe was his penis because he ejaculated next to her. But during cross-examination, she said Spitzer ejaculated inside her.
“There is an important contradiction there,” Quebec Court Judge Christian Tremblay wrote in his 11-page decision.
The judge did not read his decision aloud on Thursday; he informed Spitzer he was acquitted and handed copies of the decision to lawyers on both sides.
“Thank you very much, your honour,” Spitzer said.
“Well, I did my job,” Tremblay replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Indeed you did,” Spitzer said as he put on his winter jacket and headed out of the courtroom.
Spitzer refused to comment as he exited the courthouse.
During the trial, Spitzer testified in his defence and denied having sexually assaulted the woman. He said they had a Valentine’s Day dinner roughly two weeks after the alleged attack. He said he suffers from erectile dysfunction and requires medication — and 30 minutes — to achieve an erection.
Tremblay wrote he did not believe Spitzer but found the woman’s testimony was not enough to convince him beyond a reasonable doubt that she had been sexually assaulted.
“Even if the Court does not believe the accused, the Crown has failed to prove the guilt of Mr. Spitzer because the complainant’s testimony is neither credible nor reliable,” the judge wrote.
“It’s not the entire testimony that is not credible or unreliable. But the contradictions, implausibilities, inconsistencies and misgivings are important here and concern the essential facts relating to the charge against the accused.
“Finally, she admitted (during the trial) she does not have a good memory of what happened.”