Two New York police departments on Wednesday disputed accusations that a rape kit bag in the case of Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane had left their possession and somehow shown up at the house of the accuser’s mother.
At a news conference earlier on Wednesday, a lawyer for the woman who has accused Kane of rape said that the paper bag that should have held the woman’s rape kit had been placed on her mother’s front porch.
Attorney Thomas J. Eoannou told the press the bag showed the accuser’s name, date of birth and the initials of the nurse who collected the evidence at the hospital in New York state.
On Aug. 6, a woman accused Kane of raping her at his home in Hamburg, New York after they met at a Buffalo nightclub on Aug. 1 or 2.
The Hamburg Police Department said Wednesday its handling of the evidence is “unassailable,” but the department will cooperate in any investigation. No further comments will be issued on the open investigation.
Here’s the full statement from Town of Hamburg Police Department:
In regard to the information conveyed today by Mr. Thomas Eoannou, the Hamburg Police Department will cooperate with any authorized investigation regarding the handling of evidence and the procedure of such. That said, The Hamburg Police Department has documentation that unequivocally demonstrates that its handling of the evidence and the integrity of its chain of custody of evidence in this case is unassailable. As is policy with active investigations, there will be no further comment regarding this situation.
Erie County Commissioner of Central Police Services John Glascott said all evidence is “accounted for and remains in its original packaging,” including the rape kit.
Here’s the full statement:
Today, @ErieCountyNY Commissioner of Central Police Services John Glascott issued the following statement: pic.twitter.com/8tv8Z2bIJ3
— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) September 23, 2015
Kane was the first overall draft pick in the 2007 NHL Draft. He has won three national championships with the Blackhawks and a silver medal with the USA team at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. No charges have been filed.
Kane has recently been seen at training camp with the team in Indiana.
Eoannou called for an independent investigation on the incident by state police or the FBI.
So its a hoax?
That’s what this story needed. More “WTF.”
If only we had some institution in this country that paid people to dig in to things like this and write reports about what they find. Then we wouldn’t have to try to piece things together by making conjectures based on what we read in the press release transcription services.
As strange as a counterfeit rape kit.