Tommy Kane

Thomas Henry Kane (born January 14, 1964) is a Canadian former professional football player.

Tommy Kane
No. 7
Position:Wide Receiver
Personal information
Born: (1964-01-14) January 14, 1964
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Career information
College:Syracuse
NFL Draft:1988 / Round: 3 / Pick: 75
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:142
Receiving Yards:2,034
Touchdowns:9
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Football career

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Kane played college football at Syracuse University.

A third-round draft pick, Kane played for the Seattle Seahawks from 1988 to 1992, when his season ended early due to ankle and knee injuries. The Seahawks cut him during training camp in the following year, and Kane moved to the Canadian Football League. He played five games for the Toronto Argonauts in 1994.[1]

At the end of his pro career, Kane volunteered at youth football camps sponsored by Montreal's Westend Sport Association, which he had attended as a youth. While with the Argonauts, he donated a year's salary to the Centre.[1] Kane is of Black Nova Scotian descent.

In 1988, while at Syracuse University, Kane was arrested for assaulting a police officer after the officer attempted to have his illegally-parked car towed. He was charged with second-degree assault, second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest.[2] He was subsequently sentenced to community service.

On November 30, 2003, Kane severely beat and then stabbed his estranged wife, Tammara Shaikh, in his mother's house in LaSalle, Quebec. Shaikh, 35, died in the arms of a church counsellor from Kane's church who had accompanied her to the home with the intention of escorting Kane to a detox center.[3] The couple had recently separated.[1]

Originally charged with second-degree murder, Kane pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the act. Prosecutors took his depression into account, agreeing to the lesser count.[1] There was a dispute as to whether he intended to murder his wife and claimed during his trial that he didn't remember the attack fully.[4] Kane was ultimately sentenced to 18 years in prison.

In 2010, Quebec judge Clement Gascon ordered Kane to pay damages of $590,000 to Tammara Shaikh's family. $125,000 was awarded to each of Kane and Shaikh's four children and $90,000 to Tammara's sister, Ava Shaikh,[5] who had gained legal custody of the children after Tammara's murder.[6] In late 2015, the Canadian Parole Board approved Kane for six months of day parole while he continued to serve his 18 year sentence.[3]

References
  1. Ex-NFL star Tommy Kane sentenced 18 years, November 11, 2004. CBC Sports.
  2. Schaefer, Steve (April 13, 1988). "Football star arrested for assaulting officer". UPI. UPI Archives.
  3. Cherry, Paul (December 1, 2015). "Former NFL player Tommy Kane granted day parole on sentence for killing wife". Montreal Gazette. Montreal Gazette.
  4. "Ex-Seahawks player who killed wife asks family for forgiveness". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. October 5, 2004.
  5. "Football star Kane's family compensated after wife's murder". CTV News Montreal. CTV News Montreal. July 27, 2010.
  6. "Ex-NFLer to pay kids $590K after killing mom". CBS News Montreal. The Canadian Press. July 28, 2010.
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