Evidence in Patrick Kane Case Tampered, Accuser's Lawyer Says

The sexual assault case involving Chicago Blackhawks hockey star Patrick Kane has taken a new turn, possibly complicating things as far as getting to the bottom of what really happened at Kane's home in Buffalo on August 2.

Just days from when it seemed that Kane was gaining some positive light, a surprise twist comes up in connection with the rape kit, which for some reason found its way to the home of the mother of the alleged rape victim.

"In my 30 years plus of being both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, I have never seen an evidence bag outside of a police lab, a prosecutor's office or a courtroom - let alone find one in the doorway of a rape victim mother's home," said attorney Thomas Eoannou via Yahoo Sports.

The evidence bag was reportedly found between a storm door and the front door last Tuesday afternoon and was authenticated by a legal team with the hospital where the rape kit test was done. The bag bore the initials of the nurse and the victim, unsealed and empty.

"It was folded up in a number of small squares almost like it was meant to be thrown out," Eoannou said via the Chicago Sun-Times. "Absolutely nothing in it." "There was no doorbell, no knock."

Now Eoannou is calling for an independent investigation on the matter despite the claims of police in the Buffalo area that all pieces of evidence tied up with the case are intact.

The new developments negate any headway Kane may have had following earlier reports that the DNA tests taken from the controversial rape kit used on the female accuser showed no traces of Kane's DNA (particularly in the genital area or undergarments).

The ongoing case has drawn skepticism, particularly on the National Hockey League and Kane. Rather than see Kane take a leave and attend to the issue at hand, there are some who question how Kane could take the ice and train while an issue like this is in the limelight.

Could Kane be in an elite list of well-protected athletes whose fame has become a driving tool? Well, apparently some feel that such is the case.

Regardless, the case is bound to hound Kane moving forward. While the Blackhawks (fans and players) have shown support for Kane, the fact remains that the backing is not 100%.

Depending on how the tampering allegations of the rape kit turn out, the thing is that Kane will have an uneasy road ahead - both for his playing career and most certainly his personal life.