CHICAGO — The Erie County district attorney is dropping the investigation into Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane, citing a lack of evidence and "material inconsistencies" presented by the 21-year-old woman who claimed the South Buffalo, N.Y., native raped her in his bed.
Citing an "exhaustive investigation over the course of the past three months," Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III said accounts from the complainant and other witnesses contained "significant material inconsistencies." Sedita also said in a statement that "the DNA results lend no corroboration whatsoever to the complainant's claim of penetration, a required element of proof for a rape charge."
Sedita also said the physical and forensic evidence collected "tend to contradict the complainant's claim that she was raped on Kane's bed."
In sum, "the totality of the credible evidence — the proof — does not sufficiently substantiate the complainant's allegation that she was raped by Patrick Kane, and this so-called 'case' is rife with reasonable doubt."
On Aug. 6, the Buffalo News reported that Kane, 26, was the target of a rape investigation by local police after a woman accused the Blackhawks forward of sexual assault in Hamburg, N.Y., where Kane owns a home.
Later that day Blackhawks and NHL officials were tight-lipped, acknowledging that they were "aware of the matter" and "following developments."
Kane's agent issued a statement saying "it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time," according to ESPN.
The Blackhawks, Kane's camp and the NHL kept mum in the intervening weeks, but public opinion surrounding the Chicago sports star was immediately affected. Twitter users rallied for vendors outside to stop selling novelty T-shirts featuring the slogan "Kane made me do it" outside the city's sports venues.
BTW, they are selling this shirt around Wrigley. And they really should stop. pic.twitter.com/nS2jFSf6UC
— Rashawn Franklin (@RashawnFranklin) August 13, 2015A week after news of the investigation broke, EA Sports announced it was removing an image of Kane from the cover of the forthcoming hockey-themed game "NHL 16" and removing him as a spokesman.
Earlier this week, The Buffalo News reported that the complainant in the case "no longer wants to cooperate in the investigation."
Kane was the first overall draft pick for the Blackhawks in 2007 and has played for the team ever since, leading Chicago to three Stanley Cup titles in the last six years.
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