Patrick Kane Under Investigation - Alleged Rape

[Rich]

Do you think marketing should have chosen a different player?

 

http://thehockeywriters.com/chicago-blackhawks-schedule-kane-bobblehead-night/

 

 

The Chicago Blackhawks have, once again, drawn the ire of people inside and outside of the hockey community. The team announced its scheduled giveaways for the 2015-16 season, and it includes one that’s rather questionable, to say the least.

When the Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues on January 24, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Patrick Kane bobblehead.

 

[Mr Dee]

The Chicago Black Marks.

Unbelievable.

[The Unknown Poster]

That is ludicrous. That has to be malicious. Wow.

[Noeller]

So if this case goes away between now and then, what's wrong with the bobblehead?

[Rich]

The issue is they don't know what is going to happen so the prudent course would be to simply choose someone else.

[The Unknown Poster]

Maybe make a bobble head of someone that doesn't seem to find himself in trouble.

[Mr Dee]

Kane - the Bobble HeadCase?

[The Unknown Poster]

SUN

Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane is not expected to face criminal charges from allegations that he raped a woman, three sources told the Buffalo News.

Kane, 26, was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his waterfront mansion outside Buffalo on Aug. 2. He has denied any wrongdoing but has never publicly discussed the events of that night. The News reported on Sept. 19 that DNA evidence obtained during the police investigation did not support the woman's allegation that she was raped, and her lawyer announced three days later that someone had left a rape kit at her mother's house.

The lawyer then abruptly quit the case the following day, citing false information he was given by the mother regarding the bag left at her house.

"I have an ethical responsibility to withdraw from the case, and I wished them the best of luck," Thomas J. Eoannou at a news conference.

An investigation by Erie County district attorney Frank Sedita's office revealed that the incident with the bag was an "elaborate hoax" by the alleged victim's mother. On Sept. 26, Sedita said he was questioning the validity of the case, and on Friday two sources told The News that no presentation of evidence of the alleged rape to a grand jury was expected.

When asked about the latest report that Kane is not likely to face charges, Sedita said, "I am waiting for the investigation to be completed to my satisfaction and to confer with the assigned prosecutor, who is on her vacation six time zones away, before announcing anything further."

Kane has scored 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 11 games this season after helping lead the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup titles in the past season seasons. He signed an eight-year, $84 million contract extension in 2014.

"Those are just reports," Kane said when asked about the Buffalo News story this weekend. "There aren't really any facts yet."

[The Unknown Poster]

Jared S. Hopkins @JaredSHopkins

Patrick Kane accuser no longer cooperating in rape investigation in Western, NY: report http://trib.in/1Q3D66s 

Retweeted by Keith McCullough

 

 

And thats a wrap.  I wonder if she got sick of the whole process or received a pay off.  Or, ofcourse, if she was lying.

[Rich]

 

 

 

My guess.... he is charged and gets an acquittal.

 

Did he do it? Nobody but those two know.

If charged, this will be a test of the NHL... do they immediately suspend him?  Do the Blackhawks?

 

 

Should they?

 

What happened to innocent until proven guilty.  

 

Should be immediately suspended.  Too serious.  Its not like he wouldnt get paid.  This isnt like you or me at our jobs and even then some places would suspend or fire their employees after a charge.

 

 

So I know we still don't really know what happened and probably never will, but I'm curious now that we know the result of the criminal investigation and lack of charges being pressed, do you still think he should have been suspended back in August?

 

Curious for the discussion the next time something like this happens.

[bustamente]

Did he do it, nobody except the people involved know for sure but i would be shocked if money didn't change hands.

[The Unknown Poster]

I do believe he should have been suspended.

 

The facts we do know dont paint a flatering picture of Kane.  It doesnt mean he raped her.  But it does mean his judgement is flawed.  Should he be suspended for flawed judgement?  Well no.

 

But I also think a suspension doesnt neccisarily have to be in place until the DA steps to a mic and declares charges or no charges.  I would have suspended him based on the seriousness of the allegations with the NHL announcing their own investigation.  And if the NHL then deemed it willing to lift the suspension in September, October etc.  So be it.

 

Hindsight is always 20/20.  But precluding a scenario where a complete stranger with zero evidence walks into a police station and randomly accuses a celebrity, I think its always best to err on the side of being pro-active. 

 

Imagine if he had not played at all.  So he missed, what 12 games?  The NHL steps up today and says the suspension is lifted and they thank Kane for his cooperation.  Everyone pats the NHL on the back and acknowledges Kane did the right thing in laying low and regardless of the cloud which will always hang over him, he can move forward.  He never loses a dollar.  It hurts the Blackhawks for 12 games but thats the price of doing business, especially with someone who has routinely brushed off his alcohol issues.

 

So in short, I'd err on the side of being pro-active and careful.

 

In Canada, this happens all the time.  And I dare say, had Kane not been a celebirty it would have happened there too, where the DA (or Crown) routinely charge people based on accusations and minimal (if any) evidence with the idea they will sort it out later.  I think Kane got the benefit of the doubt based on celebrity.

[Rich]

Caught the ending discussion about this on H&L last night.  They compared it to the Voynov case where the NHL was able to do an independent investigation and corroborate that there was evidence to support the accusation.

 

Where as in the Kane case, the only evidence really appears to be rape kit which the NHL would not be able to get access to the results.

 

There is no doubt the NHL would have launched its own internal investigation into this and their inaction would have been in the lack of anything they could find.  Which I think is the right thing to do. 

 

Of course the police handle these cases differently.  The public scrutiny in a high profile case always changes the game because of the amount of media coverage and publicity around it.   They don’t want to make mistakes.

 

In cases like these, I don’t think the NHL should be suspending a player until charges are laid or they have their own evidence to proceed (like the NFL getting the security tapes in the Ray Rice incident).   I don’t think accusations are enough.

[The Unknown Poster]

Accusations arent enough.  But there are known facts in this case which lend credence to the accuser.  Its entirely possible she was lying or mentally ill but then her contact with Kane was purely coincedental, her friend begging her to stay was coincedental, her going to the hospital, going to police etc...its generally in keeping with someone who believes they were assaulted. 

 

If the DA charged Kane, we'd all be in agreement the NHL should have suspended him.  Again, hindsight being hindsight.  I think more damage is done to the process and the rights of victims to *not* suspend a millionaire hockey player with a history of issues who wont miss a single paycheque then suspending him, letting an investigation play out and reinstating him when the DA declines to proceed.

 

There are many reasons why a victim might stop cooperating.  It doesnt mean she wasnt assaulted.  Had she been in it for a payday she went about it wrong.  Or she did get a payday in which case, Kane did do something and bought his way out of it.  We might not know for awhile, if ever.

 

This result might vindicate the Hawks' handling of it but I'd dare say thumbing your nose at a rape allegation is never something to be proud of, vidication or not.

[Rich]

I don't equate not suspending a player as thumbing your nose at a rape accusation.

The States and Canada have due process for a reason.

We will never know what happened especially with the whole string of events with the Mother and attorney stepping down.

You make your assumptions based on what is reported in the media and reputation. Not enough IMO.

The police never had enough evidence or cooperation to lay charges. And they are the one with all the evidence.

[The Unknown Poster]

I don't equate not suspending a player as thumbing your nose at a rape accusation.

The States and Canada have due process for a reason.

We will never know what happened especially with the whole string of events with the Mother and attorney stepping down.

You make your assumptions based on what is reported in the media and reputation. Not enough IMO.

The police never had enough evidence or cooperation to lay charges. And they are the one with all the evidence.

I mean the widely held feeling the Blackhawks' presser was ill advised, as was Patrick Kane Bobblehead night.  Its possible they were privvy to details that made them comfident no charges would be laid but thats thumbing your nose at it if you essentially act in a way that the investigation is moot before its completed.

 

As for the police, in cases like this, its often the DA that makes the decision, not the police.  Even here, they go to the Crown for Crown Opinion a lot.  The Crown is obligated by law not to file charges unless they have a reasonable expectation of winning at trial but that is often not how they do business.  One only needs to see how many charges are stayed to realise they didnt need to be filed in the first place.

 

And yes, we cant say with certainty the leaks are accurate, they were widely reported.  If she was a crackpot and this accusation was completely unfounded, there would not have been an investigation beyond the cops deeming her uncredible and the act being impossible to have occured.  We had a he said/she said and he had a dubious past and she "acted" like a victim.  The DA had assembled the Grand Jury (which almost never goes in the favour of the accused) though he suspended it.

 

But certainly, we wont know.  They might have got it right this time.  But had he been charged, they'd look awfully bad.

[bigg jay]

As expected:

 

SportsCentre        ✔ @SportsCentre

JUST IN: Erie County District D.A. announces Patrick Kane will not be prosecuted on rape allegations

[The Unknown Poster]

I wonder how he will celebrate!