Media Turns Kane Investigation Into Cheesy CSI Knock-off

A Chicagoan speaks out about the media storm surrounding Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane’s alleged sexual assault and what it has done to the Windy City.

By Rachel Krusenoski

When it comes to professional sports, it is always best to remember that they serve one purpose: entertainment for the masses.

The media frenzy that now surrounds Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane and his alleged sexual assault is a testament to this. And I, quite honestly, am furious.

Born and raised in Chicago, the Blackhawks have become more than just a hockey team; they are our salvation. Winning three Stanley Cups in the last six years has brought consistency and hope to a city living in fear of another Derrick Rose injury or 10 more years without a World Series title. They unified sports fans all over the Windy City. They are our joy, our hope, our light.

But now the joy is dead, hope squashed, and darkness falls over our city.

The twenty-six-year-old hockey player is currently facing an investigation, while not charged, for a sexual assault occurring Aug. 2. The victim, a twenty-one-year old female, claimed to be raped in Kane’s off-season home in Buffalo, New York. However, after his indictment was post-phoned on Sept. 8, serious question was called as to the legitimacy of the case.

And then everything fell apart.

On Sept. 23, the accuser’s attorney Thomas Eoannou reported that the police evidence bag containing the tampered rape kit was left on the door step on the accuser’s mother’s home. One day later, Eoannou quit the case, citing lack of confidence in his client’s story.

The most disappointing part of all of this is that it has made a mockery of not only the reputation of a prominent figure in the NHL, but also a serious and horrible crime.

Prior to the chaos, this story had the potential to bring up a well-needed discussion over sexual violence in professional sports as well as the way celebrities face the legal process.

I have little doubt that Kane is innocent, but that doesn’t take away from the current conversation about sexual assault. It’s an important topic that needs to be talked about now. Recent sexual assault and domestic violence convictions in the NFL is evidence of that.

Just like any other citizen of this country, Kane deserves to be innocent until proven guilty. Until he is charged with a crime, he should still be able to attend team events and pre-season practices. Despite his somewhat troubled past, he is definitely not first athlete to face scrutiny over a crime he may or may not have committed, and he certainly wont be the last.

In the end, the high-profile case that once split fans among the diehards, preaching assumption of innocence, and the skeptics, citing Kane’s past run ins with the law, has unified us Chicagoans once again.

And we are all furious.

Reach Contributor Rachel Krusenoski here or on Twitter here.