In breaking news from the Buffalo area, Erie County prosecutors have dropped rape charges against Chicago Blackhawks forward, Patrick Kane.
Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita confirmed that the accuser had stopped cooperating with his office and that physical and forensic evidence conflicted with statements made during the three-month investigation.
“The DNA results lend no corroboration whatsoever to the complainant’s claim,” said Sedita, who decided against presenting the case to a grand jury for possible charges. Sedita said the 21-year-old accuser had recently signed an affidavit saying she did not want to press charges.
“I have repeatedly said that I did nothing wrong,” Kane said in a statement issued by the Blackhawks. “I have respected the legal process and I am glad that this matter has now been closed and I will have nothing further to say going forward.”
The investigation seemed poised to cascade down on Kane but as the months rolled on, the vicissitudes of the investigation threw fans and officials alike into a quandary.
“The totality of the credible evidence — the proof — does not sufficiently substantiate the complainant’s allegation that she was raped by Patrick Kane,” Sedita said, “and this so-called `case’ is rife with reasonable doubt.”
Now the question is what the NHL will do.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly issued a statement.
“In light of the statement issued today by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, as an internal League matter, we intend to promptly review the information that may now be available to us.
“We will have no further comment until we have completed that review.”
Regardless of the decision there are some who will always question the outcome and others who are relieved. In the end, the NHL is one more professional sports league with a black eye in terms of women’s rights and conduct of its players.
Now is time to make things right for all parties including the accuser and Kane.
You must be logged in to post a comment.