Attorney drops Patrick Kane accuser as client

The attorney for the accuser in the Patrick Kane rape investigation dropped the accuser as a client over misrepresentations of an evidence bag involved in the case.

The attorney for the accuser in the Patrick Kane rape investigation has dropped the accuser as a client over misrepresentations of an evidence bag involved in the case.

On Wednesday, Buffalo attorney Thomas Eoannou said at a press conference that the evidence bag was anonymously delivered to the accuser’s mother’s home and had been ripped open. Eoannou said he went to great lengths to confirm the evidence bag was authentic, adding that “something seriously has gone amiss.” He called for an independent investigation by the FBI or another law enforcement agency into the breach of evidence.

Following Eoannou’s Wednesday press conference, Erie County police said all of the evidence in the case was “accounted for in its original packaging.”

Speaking at another press conference on Thursday, Eoannou said, “I no longer have the confidence in the manner and means in which that bag came to my office.”

• McCann: Possible legal fallout in wake of latest development

"I don't know how the bag got on the porch. I don't have confidence in the version that was told to me." - Thomas J. Eoannou

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) September 25, 2015

Attorney: Our investigation revealed there "may have been some fabrications concerning the bag" pic.twitter.com/cU2HoPEie5

— Brandon Wall (@Walldo) September 25, 2015

Attorney: "The bag is a real evidence bag from this case, there is no question about that." pic.twitter.com/6PD6D3qJUs

— Brandon Wall (@Walldo) September 25, 2015

The attorney continually emphasizes that "this does not reflect upon what occurred on the night in question"

— Brandon Wall (@Walldo) September 25, 2015

Kane’s attorney, Paul Cambria, held a press conference on Thursday night to respond to Eoannou’s dropping the accuser as his client. Cambria reiterated, as he did on Wednesday, that tests had cleared Kane of wrongdoing and added that the misrepresentations of the evidence bag had “completely undermined” the investigation.

Cambria added that he was “perfectly comfortable” relying on Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita III to investigate the evidence bag misrepresentation.

Kane has not been charged with any crime in the case, which began after the woman accused Kane of sexually assaulting her in his hometown of Hamburg, N.Y., on Aug 2.

Last week, Kane denied the accusations at a press conference and said he was “confident” he would be cleared. He is participating in training camp with the Blackhawks, who have said they will respect the legal process.

A grand jury hearing originally scheduled for Sept. 8 was delayed, reportedly to allow attorneys for each party time to negotiate a settlement. Kane’s attorney, Paul Cambria, denied that any settlement talks took place.

- Mike Fiammetta