Blackhawks general manager resigns following investigation into sexual assault cover-up

A instrumentality steadfast moving for the Chicago Blackhawks has completed an autarkic reappraisal of a erstwhile player’s 2010 intersexual misconduct allegations against then-video manager Brad Aldrich arsenic good arsenic the team’s handling of his ailment astatine the time.

The results of Chicago-based Jenner & Block’s findings were announced astatine 1 p.m. Central Blackhawks proprietor and Chairman Rocky Wirtz, Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz and Reid Schar, spouse astatine Jenner & Block, were present.

Wirtz announced that Stan Bowman, the wide manager and president of hockey operations, has “stepped aside.” Kyle Davidson volition instrumentality connected the relation of interim GM.

During Jenner and Block’s interrogation with Bowman, “Bowman recalled that during the meeting, (then-team president John) McDonough and (then-head manager Joel) Quenneville made comments astir the situation of getting to the Stanley Cup Finals and a tendency to absorption connected the squad and the playoffs.”

Bowman issued a connection done the squad noting that helium was successful his archetypal twelvemonth and that helium “promptly” reported the substance to McDonough.

“I relied connected the absorption of my superior that helium would instrumentality due action,” Bowman said successful the statement. “Looking back, present knowing helium did not grip the substance promptly, I regret assuming helium would bash so.”

The anonymous erstwhile player, utilizing the pseudonym “John Doe,” has an ongoing suit against the squad alleging negligence and intentional infliction of affectional distress. Aldrich pleaded blameworthy successful 2013 to misdemeanor transgression intersexual behaviour with a erstwhile Houghton (Michigan) High School hockey subordinate who aboriginal besides sued the Hawks.

The Hawks person filed motions to disregard some cases.

While announcing the instrumentality firm’s findings, Danny Wirtz besides apologized to John Doe.

“I americium assured this would not beryllium tolerated successful our enactment today,” helium said. “We indispensable and volition bash better.”

Danny Wirtz called the study “disturbing and hard to read. It speaks for itself.”

Rocky Wirtz said neither helium nor his lad knew of the allegations until the suit was filed.

“If we had, we surely wouldn’t beryllium lasting present today,” helium said.

Schar said the four-month probe included interviews with 139 people, including 21 existent Hawks players and 14 members of the 2009-10 team. The steadfast besides interviewed some John Doe and Aldrich, with attorneys present, and Schar said they offered antithetic views of the 2010 encounter.

He said the Hawks placed “no limits” connected practice with the investigation.

Schar said that respective Hawks executives and coaches met wrong an hr of a Stanley Cup playoff crippled to speech astir the allegations against Aldrich and that nary enactment was taken for 3 weeks.

“At a minimum the elder leaders … were informed of alleged intersexual harassment of a subordinate by a coach,” Schar said. “The nonaccomplishment to decently and thoroughly analyse the substance … had consequences. During that period, Aldrich continued to enactment with and question with the team.”

According to the archetypal lawsuit, Aldrich threatened and forcibly touched the Blackhawks subordinate during a meal and invitation to spell implicit crippled video astatine Aldrich’s flat astir May 2010. Then-skills manager Paul Vincent said helium informed squad executives astir the alleged incidental arsenic good arsenic different misconduct ailment from different Hawk but the squad opted not to study Aldrich to Chicago police.

The suit states the plaintiff began counseling sessions with intelligence skills manager James Gary but Gary “convinced plaintiff that the intersexual battle was his fault, that helium was culpable for what happened, made mistakes during his brushwood with the perpetrator and permitted the intersexual battle to occur.” Gary’s attorney, Eric Lifvendahl of L&G Law Group, disputed that account.

The Hawks issued a connection May 12 saying “based connected our investigation, we judge the allegations against the enactment deficiency merit and we are assured the squad volition beryllium absolved of immoderate wrongdoing.”

However, the Hawks announced June 28 that they had hired Jenner & Block to analyse the allegations. On Aug. 2, the squad pledged to stock the review’s conclusions publically and “implement changes to code the findings and immoderate shortcomings of our organization.”

Vincent and Brent Sopel, different subordinate connected the 2010 title team, said they had refused to cooperate with the reappraisal until the Hawks agreed to marque the findings public.