On Wednesday lawyer Thomas Eoannou dramatically presented media with what he insisted was “the evidence bag that once contained the rape kit evidence” in his then-client’s case against Kane. He held a large brown envelope up and told media it had the young woman’s name and hospital details on it and the woman’s mother found it on her doorstep.
However on Thursday he said that does not appear to be true and told reporters he has doubts about how the mother obtained the envelope he called an “evidence bag.” While he did not say he had doubts about his unnamed former client’s version of events that night, he did say he could no longer represent her.
“I can only say that I don’t know what’s true and what’s not true,” he said during his second Buffalo press conference in as many days. “I received the story line from the mother. And it’s my position that I’m not comfortable with that version of the events.”
Police have evidence
Police responded to Eoannou’s initial press conference on Wednesday by saying that whatever Eoannou presented as the evidence bag was not the evidence bag and not a part of the rape kit. They said they had the rape kit, and the packaging containing the rape kit which has not ever left their possession. They also said the rape kit has always been properly handled.
After Wednesday’s drama, Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita scheduled a press conference for Friday and he said Thursday that Eoannou’s resignation would be discussed then. He did not make a comment otherwise on Eoannou’s decision.
Some media yesterday, such as Christine Brennan of U.S.A. Today and Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun, despite the oddity of Eoannou claiming to have the evidence bag when the police insisted they had it, opined that because of Eoannou’s claim Kane should be suspended from the NHL. It remains to be seen whether they or other media making similar statements will now retract those statements.
There was another break from protocol earlier in this case. Alleged results of the rape kit were leaked to press, results that exonerated Kane of rape allegations. However, it cannot be known if those results are true given there has been no official release of any of the findings.
There is still no word from the grand jury as to whether Kane will be charged. Meanwhile, the three-time Stanley Cup champion is taking part in the Chicago Blackhawks training camp. In his only public statement on the allegations, Kane said he did no wrong and expects to be “absolved.”
