BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Erie County District Attorney has postponed grand jury proceedings into a sexual assault allegation against Chicago Blackhawks star forward Patrick Kane, a person familiar with the investigation confirmed to The Associated Press.
Evidence was scheduled to be presented to jurors on Tuesday but the hearings were postponed for about two weeks, the person said.
The person did not provide a reason for the postponement, and spoke only on condition of anonymity because District Attorney Frank Sedita and Hamburg police have not revealed any details of the case since announcing they had launched an investigation last month. Sedita did not respond to a request seeking comment.
Kane is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s at the player’s off-season home overlooking Lake Erie outside of Buffalo, a second person familiar with the investigation told AP, also on the condition of anonymity because police have not revealed the nature of their investigation.
Kane has not been charged. The Buffalo News first reported the postponement earlier in the day.
In his only public comments, Hamburg Police Chief Gregory Wickett said last month that the investigation involved something that may have happened at Kane’s home outside of Buffalo on Aug. 2. Wickett said police were gathering information and awaiting results of forensic tests.
Last month, a Freedom of Information Act request made by The AP to obtain information regarding the investigation was denied by Hamburg police because the investigation was still being conducted.
The latest development comes less than two weeks before the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks open training camp on Sept. 18.
The NHL is aware of and monitoring the investigation but has not taken any disciplinary action against Kane, an eight-time 20 goal-scorer and one of the league’s most recognized players.
Kane is from Buffalo and was selected by Chicago with the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft. He has since helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cup titles in six years, including this past June, when Chicago defeated Tampa Bay in a six-game series.
The alleged assault occurred a week before Kane was scheduled to host the Cup. As a result of the investigation, Kane cancelled plans to parade the trophy around Buffalo. He instead held a private party at his home.
Last month, the police investigation prompted EA Sports to drop Kane from promoting and appearing on the cover its NHL 16 video game.
