Bizarre Twist in Rape Case Against NHL Star

In a bizarre turn of events in the rape case against hockey star Patrick Kane, the evidence bag once containing the victim's rape kit was found torn open and abandoned at the alleged victim's mother's front door yesterday afternoon, according to the 21-year-old accuser's lawyer. The lawyer, Thomas Eoannou, made the announcement today, the Buffalo News reports; it's unclear if the evidence bag has been authenticated, according to the Chicago Tribune. Eoannou says the bag may have been anonymously delivered as a warning that evidence has been tampered with. The allegation surprised the county district attorney, who tells the News, “In 27-plus years, I’ve never seen a rape kit tampered with. It will be investigated, professionally investigated.”

Kane, a star player for the Chicago Blackhawks, was accused last month of sexually assaulting the woman at his home after meeting her at a Buffalo bar, the News reports. According to the Tribune, the rape kit didn't turn up any of Kane's DNA, but he could still use any sign of evidence tampering to claim he didn't get a fair trial. "If you're looking for a surefire way to scuttle a prosecution, you tamper with evidence," Eoannou says. Police have called their handling of all evidence in the case "unassailable," and Kane has denied any wrongdoing, the News reports. So far, no charges have been brought. (More Patrick Kane stories.)