Patrick Kane should be proven guilty before judgement is passed.
Guilty until proven innocent: the Patrick Kane investigation showcases public ignorance of due process.
There was no mistaking the vehement chants bellowed throughout Barclays Center, home of the New York Islanders, in their home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 9.
“No means no!,” resonated every time the puck landed on Kane’s stick. Not to be outdone, Philadelphia Flyers fans shouted similar vulgarities in choruses of “She said no!” five nights later.
Kane, a star-forward for the Blackhawks, is the target of a sexual assault investigation that allegedly occurred in the early morning of Aug. 2. A woman claims that Kane, after meeting her in a Buffalo nightclub, took her to his home in Hamburg, New York, and raped her. The key word in the investigation — as with all investigations — that many in the general public don’t understand, is “alleged.”
The sentiments shouted during the games reflect the misguided opinion of many people that Kane is already guilty. Perhaps the greatest jump-to-conclusion came Aug. 12 when EA Sports removed Kane from the cover of its immensely popular video game, NHL 16.
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Unfortunately for the angry mob calling for a suspension of some sort, there isn’t much proof to suggest Kane is guilty. A rape kit taken from the accuser revealed none of Kane’s DNA in her genital area or undergarments. Actually, at least one other person’s DNA was found in her genital region.
More troubling is the conduct of the victim’s mother. The mother claimed she found an empty bag that once held the rape kit from her daughter. Surely, it would be considered evidence tampering if it was the actual rape kit bag — but it wasn’t. The Erie County crime lab confirmed it still had all the evidence in its original packaging. The mother’s attempted hoax even caused the accuser’s lawyer to step down from the case.
"I can only say that I don't know what's true and what's not true," attorney Thomas Eoannou told ESPN. "I received the storyline from the mother. And it's my position that I'm not comfortable with that version of the events."
Since then, the investigation has been mostly quiet. Kane continues to play and his jersey continues to be worn. Though that upsets many people, it doesn’t make their feelings justified. No one knows for sure whether he is guilty or innocent. However, he hasn’t been charged and the evidence thus far favors his innocence.
It is important that we, as a society, be knowledgeable citizens and allow the law to determine someone’s guilt or innocence. Instead of foolishly chanting accusations toward someone at a sporting event, people would be better suited to remain quiet until professionals can sort things out.
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