March 31--The woman who accused a Chicago Blackhawks prospect of engaging in revenge porn told the Tribune she is "devastated" that the criminal charge against the player was dismissed -- but she said she is even more upset by the team's decision to quickly reinstate him to its minor league affiliate.
Prosecutors dropped the case against Garret Ross on Tuesday after determining he was in his home state of Michigan when authorities say he texted a video of the woman engaging in a sexual act. Because he was not in Illinois when the images were sent, local law enforcement does not have jurisdiction.
Hours after the case was dismissed, the Blackhawks issued a news release lifting Ross' suspension.
"I was infuriated when I read about their (the Blackhawks') decision. I was sitting at my desk at work literally shaking I was so mad," Ross' accuser told the Tribune. "I saw it coming, but it still was devastating, especially since it was made known that the charges were dropped due to jurisdiction issues, not due to lack of evidence."
Ross' reinstatement comes as professional sports teams nationwide face increased scrutiny over how they deal with players' alleged misconduct in their off hours, especially in cases involving sexual misconduct or domestic abuse.
The Blackhawks endured criticism last year when the team allowed superstar Patrick Kane to play while he was under investigation over a sexual assault allegation. Prosecutors in Buffalo, N.Y., ultimately decided charges weren't warranted, and the NHL this month said its investigation determined the allegations were "unfounded."
Ross, who plays for the Hawks' American Hockey League affiliate in Rockford, was charged with the felony in early February. The team -- which said it was unaware of the case for more than a month after charge was filed -- suspended Ross indefinitely last week.
"What bothered me the most was that it took the Blackhawks 40 days after Ross was booked and charged to suspend him, but less than 10 hours to reinstate him," the woman said. "That right there shows how the organization feels about issues like this. ... The Blackhawks organization turned a blind eye, when they easily could have set an example within their organization that they do not tolerate this kind of behavior."
A Blackhawks spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. Ross' attorney also could not be reached for comment. The Tribune is not identifying the woman because she is an alleged victim of a sex-related crime.
The woman, who lives in Sycamore, told authorities in September she had been in a romantic relationship with one of Ross' IceHogs teammates but ended it when she learned he had a girlfriend. During their relationship, she said she exchanged nude video and pictures with the player, according to police reports obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
