John Doe lawsuit against Blackhawks headed to trial in October
A Cook County Circuit Court judge in Illinois ruled this week that a lawsuit brought by a former Chicago Blackhawks player against the team will head to trial in October.
The player, who is pursuing litigation under the name “John Doe,” filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks in November 2023 for failing to act after sexual misconduct allegations against ex-video coach Brad Aldrich were brought to light during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Athletic‘s Scott Powers was the first to report the news of the judge’s decision on Thursday.
A lawsuit against the Chicago Blackhawks by a former player stemming from allegations made against Brad Aldrich in 2010 is set to go to trial in October after a summary judgement was denied this week in the Cook County Circuit Court.
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Aldrich first gained widespread notoriety in the hockey world in the wake of similar allegations made public in 2021 by former Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach, who alleged that the Blackhawks failed to adequately respond to his complaints and, in so doing, paved the way for Aldrich’s subsequent wrongdoings.
Aldrich eventually served nine months in prison and was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted of having sexual contact with a minor in September 2013. Beach filed his own lawsuit against the Blackhawks in 2021 and settled with the team for a confidential amount later that year.
The Blackhawks filed for a summary judgement against the more recent suit brought by the second (and unnamed) John Doe but Judge Barbara Flores denied the motion on Tuesday, refuting the team’s claims that John Doe was relying on inadmissible evidence and that the statute of limitations had expired, among others.
“When construing the pleadings in the light most favorable to the nonmovant, as it must, the Court finds that triable issues of fact exist and reasonable minds might differ in drawing inferences from those facts. Thus, Defendant’s motion for summary judgment is denied,” Flores’ ruling concluded.
Former Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman, who oversaw the team at the time of the alleged assaults and now manages the Edmonton Oilers, could be called to testify in the trial even after successfully contesting a previous subpoena in March. John Doe’s attorneys confirmed in May that Bowman is “indeed still subject to a trial subpoena.”
The trial is slated to begin on October 27 at 10:00 a.m. CT in the Cook County Circuit Court.