Chicago Blackhawks settle lawsuit with Kyle Beach
by: Jack Baudoin, The Associated Press, JAY COHEN
LONDON,ON – SEPTEMBER 14: Kyle Beach #12 of the Chicago Black Hawks skates in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the NHL Rookie Tournament on September 14,2010 at the John Labatt Centre in London,Ontario. The Hawks defeated the Penguins 9-5. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks have settled a lawsuit by a former player who said he was sexually assaulted by an assistant coach during the team's 2010 Stanley Cup title run.
After representatives for the Blackhawks and former first-round pick Kyle Beach met Wednesday with a mediator for the first time, they announced that the session had resulted in a confidential settlement.
"The Blackhawks hope that this resolution will bring some measure of peace and closure for Mr. Beach," the team said in a statement attributed to owner Rocky Wirtz, son and team chairman Danny Wirtz, and Susan Loggans, Beach's attorney.
"As for the Blackhawks organization, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure that, going forward, this team will be a beacon for professionalism, respect and integrity in our community. We remain grateful for the trust and support of the Blackhawks community, and we promise to continue working every day to earn and maintain that trust."
Loggans also is part of a second lawsuit filed in May by a former high school student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting in Michigan. There was no word in the joint statement about that suit.
The Blackhawks said as late as mid-May that Beach's allegations lacked merit. B ut an independent review, commissioned by the team and released in October, showed the organization badly mishandled Beach's allegations that he was assaulted by Aldrich during the team's 2010 Stanley Cup run. Aldrich told investigators the encounter was consensual.
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