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Evander Kane makes counterclaim in sexual assault civil suit

Greg Wyshynski
GettyImages-511633868
GettyImages-511633868

Remember when Evander Kane of the Buffalo Sabres faced accusations of assault against a woman?

No, not this one, the other one, last year, when a sexual encounter between Kane and a woman in a Buffalo Marriott HarborCenter hotel room that resulted in a police investigation into whether he had sexually assaulted her?

Buffalo police concluded in March there was “no evidence to support the filing of a criminal filing of a criminal action.” In July, Rachel Kuechle, the alleged victim, filed a civil suit against Kane.

Now, Kane has filed a counterclaim against Kuechle. From the Buffalo News:

Kane’s counterclaim filed last week says Rachel Kuechle’s suit is “a sham” lawsuit “brought for the sole purpose of defaming” Kane. He seeks unspecified damages.

Kane’s attorneys claim any contact between Kuechle and Kane “was consensual and [the] plaintiff willingly engaged in such contact.” His attorneys also asserted Kuechle bears some responsibility for what happened, claiming “the plaintiff’s culpable conduct caused or contributed to the accident, injuries and/or damages alleged in the complaint…”

Kuechle “failed to take reasonable precautions for her own safety and otherwise failed to take reasonable actions to mitigate or minimize her alleged damages,” according to the court papers.

You can read the counterclaim here, via Aaron Besecker:

Evander Kane’s Counterclaim by AaronBesecker on Scribd

Kuechle filed a civil suit against Kane on July 1, claiming he “met her in a bar, invited her to what he said was a party and then attacked her, causing cuts and bleeding that required multiple surgeries.” According to the Associated Press, her suit indicated that she had “serious emotional trauma” and “serious, permanent and painful personal injuries.”

Kane’s counterclaim in the civil suit comes two months after he was arrested by Buffalo police after an incident at a Buffalo bar around the time of the NHL Draft. Kane pled not guilty to misdemeanor criminal trespass and five noncriminal charges of disorderly conduct and harassment. He will be back in court on Oct. 31 on those charges.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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