I should have known something big was going to come out when the lawyer for the cab driver Patrick Kane and his cousin allegedly beat and choked over 20 cents came out yesterday morning saying the whole thing was “blown out of proportion.” Turns out, the cab driver shouldn’t have even been behind the wheel for the incident to unfold in the first place:
The attorney for the Buffalo cabdriver who has accused Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane and his cousin of robbing and attacking him in a dispute over a cab fare acknowledged this morning that his client has a drunk driving conviction and was driving on a suspended license at the time of the incident.
[Lawyer Andrew] LoTempio told WGN today that he represented Radecki in 1999 when his client was accused of driving while intoxicated.
Nice job keeping that from everyone yesterday! On top of that, LoTempio when the extra mile to show just how much of an asshole he is:
Nevertheless, lawyer Andrew LoTempio told WGN-720AM he believes cabbie Jan Radecki, 62, is entitled to compensation and expressed hope a settlement could be reached out of court.
LoTempio’s comment about seeking compensation from Kane comes a day after he told WGN that he thought the whole incident had been “blown out of proportion” and should not be considered a felony. At that time, he called the altercation a “regular kid incident.”
Let’s see here: LoTempio’s client has been driving without a valid license for 10 years and putting other people’s lives at risk because of it, yet because he got punched in the face for locking two guys in his cab — one of whom just so happened to be a millionaire athelete — he is still entitled to compensation for the incident? Wow.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not coming to the defense of Kane and saying all should be forgotten. Even if the guy was driving illegally and locked them in the cab until he got his money, it’s still no excuse to punch and choke someone — especially when you’re someone who will make headlines because of it, become a distraction to your teammates and are supposed to be some kind of role model. I still think this incident should be at the forefront of the Blackhawks’ front office’s minds when it comes to dealing with the upcoming salary cap situation.
While I may have written everything before all the facts come to light, it is interesting to know that at least some of my predictions are coming true:
Kane’s attorney said he’s found information that will exonerate his client and disputed the cab driver’s claims of injuries.
“I know he said that, but it’s not my client who committed any crimes against him,” Cambria said. “When all of the facts and circumstances come out concerning the incident, then the public will have a better idea of what exactly happened and whether or not there is any criminal activity there.”
Asked to elaborate, Cambria said he was not implying James Kane committed a crime, but said was speaking only on behalf of his client. James Kane’s attorney, Dan Barry Jr., did not return a call to comment.
“When all this is put into perspective,” Cambria said, “it’s going to appear vastly different than the first impression.”
