Accuser: Blackhawks' Patrick Kane Overpowered And Raped Her, Leaving Bite And Scratch Marks
By Emma G. Gallegos in News on Aug 10, 2015 4:35PM
Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks lifts the Stanley Cup trophy during the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Championship Rally (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The woman who accused Blackhawks star Patrick Kane of rape last week says the hockey star followed her to a room where she had gone by herself, overpowered her and raped her. After the alleged attack, she had bite marks on her shoulders and a scratch on her leg, investigators say.
Source familiar with the investigation offered more details about the alleged attack to The Buffalo News. Kane's accuser told investigators that the hockey star had invited her and female friend to his home for a private party after they met him at SkyBar. She says she was attacked when Kane followed her to a room where she had gone by herself.
Immediately after the alleged attack, the woman left Kane's home with her friend and called a relative from her own cell phone. She then went to a local hospital for an examination. Police were called. The alleged attack happened around 4 a.m., just an hour after Kane was last seen leaving SkyBar in Buffalo. A source who knows the woman described her as frantic and traumatized when she called her relative.
SkyBar’s owner Mark Croce broke his silence to offer up some controversial comments to The Buffalo News. Croce disputed rumors that Kane had been out of control on the night of the allegations: "(Kane) was acting like a typical young guy his age, out having fun with some of his buddies. A lot of people were coming up to him, asking to have pictures taken with him. He was a gentleman. Pat had a couple of drinks and maybe a couple of shots. He was having a good time, but he wasn't stumbling or doing anything obnoxious."
Croce also offered up comments about a woman who had been seen flirting with Kane that night. Croce and The Buffalo News both admit that they couldn't pin down whether this woman is the same woman who made the accusation, but both of them are being called out for victim-blaming. Neither the possibility that Kane wasn't drunk nor that a woman was flirting with him have much bearing on the allegations either way.
Croce says he doesn't have any skin in the game but Alan Bedenko, a Buffalo blogger and attorney argues that's not truein a post that calls out the victim-blaming:
It matters because he doesn’t want the authorities or the victim to come after SkyBar for any liquor law violations or “dram shop” liability. Specifically, under New York law, if a bar serves an obviously intoxicated person who goes on to injure some third party, that injured third party may sue the bar for money damages. Croce is covering his own ass here, and the News didn’t even comment on his motive to provide these speculative details to its reporters. I mean, let’s just start the portrayal of Kane’s accuser as a whore-who-had-it-coming so that she thinks twice about suing SkyBar.
No charges have been filed in the case. Hamburg Police and the DA's office have told reporters they are continuing their investigation while they await forensic test results. On Saturday, Paul J. Cambria, who had refused to comment earlier, confirmed that he is representing Kane in the case for the first time. Thomas J. Eoannou has been hired by the victim's family.
Kane spent Saturday with the Stanley Cup and he was scheduled to visit SkyBar on Saturday night, but those plans were canceled given the controversy over the allegations.
Related:
How To Be A Blackhawks Fan When Your Star Player Is Accused Of Rape