Report: Bryant accuser told decision Associated Press Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert is hours away from announcing whether his office will charge Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant with the sexual assault of a 19-year-old Colorado woman, but Hurlbert reportedly already has informed the alleged victim's family of his decision. THE VAIL DAILY NEWS said Hurlbert talked to the alleged victim's family Thursday night. The alleged victim's family referred all questions to the District Attorney's Office. The Vail Daily also said Bryant likely would be charged, but the newspaper didn't back up the report with much depth. Hurlbert said Thursday he will announce his determination on the charges during a 5 p.m. ET news conference. Georgetown attorney Rob Wheeler, a former prosecutor with the District Attorney's Office, told the Vail Daily Thursday night that he had been retained by the alleged victim's family. He made his first appearance at Thursday's hearing at which the Vail Daily argued for dispatch records to the alleged victim's house. Bryant's attorney, Pamela Mackey, has scheduled a news conference at 9 p.m. EDT at Staples Center in Los Angeles. It was not known whether Bryant will attend. Bryant, a three-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, surrendered to authorities July 4 on allegations he attacked a 19-year-old woman at the exclusive mountain resort Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in nearby Edwards on June 30. Sheriff Joe Hoy, elected in November, decided there was enough evidence to arrest Bryant on July 4, even though Hurlbert hadn't made a decision then. Hurlbert, a former assistant district attorney promoted by the governor in December, has been reviewing the results of tests from the state crime laboratory. Both Bryant and his female accuser underwent unspecified medical tests. The five-time All-Star was in Colorado for knee surgery at a Vail clinic. In his only public comments on the case, Bryant told the Los Angeles Times he "would never do something like that." Bryant attended the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on Wednesday, but he avoided the media in his first public appearance since his arrest. He sat in the audience smiling and laughing with his wife. If charges are filed, Bryant would have to return to Colorado on Aug. 6. The case has drawn national attention to this mountain town about 100 miles west of Denver. On Thursday, The Vail Daily newspaper asked a judge to order the release of two police reports related to the woman from a month before the alleged attack. The newspaper wants to know if the police reports are relevant to the woman's background and whether investigators have been thorough, Managing Editor Don Rogers said. The judge gave Eagle's town lawyer until July 25 to submit arguments against releasing the reports. Details of the case have been sealed under a court order. But the Vail Daily, quoting a source close to the investigation, reported that law enforcement officials were notified of the alleged assault at around noon on July 1, the day after the alleged incident occurred and the day of Bryant's knee surgery. Bryant was questioned about 11:30 p.m. that night, and was later taken to the Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, between 2:30 and 5 a.m. on July 2, where he provided DNA samples. The alleged victim was also tested, but not at same time. According to the newspaper, Eagle County Sheriff Joe Hoy issued a warrant for Bryant's arrest on a count of felony sexual assault on July 4. Bryant turned himself in at the Eagle County jail, posted $25,000 bond and flew back to California that night. Authorities have said they are treating Bryant like any other suspect, though sheriff's investigators didn't reveal his arrest until July 6 -- two days after he was released on $25,000 bail. Bryant's attorney in Denver, Pamela Mackey, has accused the sheriff's office of rushing the case against Hurlbert's wishes. Mackey was not in her office Thursday and a secretary said she would not be available until Monday. As for the 911 calls, Eagle Town Manager William Powell explained that the calls were not made public because they "are not directly related to the alleged incident with Kobe Bryant. They occurred some time before the incident. Second, although we firmly believe in and support 'the public's right to know,' we also support victims' rights and their right to privacy." Friends have backed the credibility of the woman. "I believe her," said Renee Scriver to the Los Angeles. Scriver coached Bryant's accuser in cheerleading. "She's a good kid, always respectful, honest - a good person." For his part, Bryant has had a spotless reputation until this incident. His teammates and Laker management, have said a sexual assault would be "completely out of character." Hurlbert has been quiet on what his decision will be. According to the L.A. Times, Hurlbert told staff members he was intent on keeping his decision a secret until Friday. The paper also reported that the father of the alleged victim declined to comment on whether Hurlbert had informed him of his decision. Experts say Hurlbert, a 34-year-old Dartmouth graduate who grew up in neighboring Summit County, also has to consider the wishes of the woman and whether she's ready for the intense public scrutiny that would follow the filing of charges. "I think the district attorney has a decision of a lifetime. It's understandable that he wants to take his time," legal analyst Craig Silverman, a former Denver prosecutor, said Thursday. Silverman said the tension created by the arrest and subsequent media attention made it tougher for Hurlbert to do his job. "All of this could have been going on without any public attention if the sheriff had kept his powder dry," instead of arresting Bryant before Hurlbert decided whether to prosecute, Silverman said. Former Eagle County prosecutor Bruce C. Carey said DNA testing would not be definitive if there is a dispute over whether the alleged sexual contact was consensual. The district attorney would then need to rely on investigations of the backgrounds of Bryant and the woman. Until now, Hurlbert's biggest decision as district attorney may have been deciding not to prosecute a British man involved in a fatal skiing collision on March 2. As an assistant district attorney, Hurlbert won a second-degree murder conviction in 2002 against Chuck Garrison, accused of killing his wife and burying her body in his yard. Bryant is accused of assaulting the woman on the night of June 30, soon after he checked into the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera outside Edwards. He was in town to have knee surgery at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in nearby Vail. The woman, who worked at the front desk of the hotel, reported the alleged assault the following day. The woman is well-known in Eagle as a former high school cheerleader and talented musician who auditioned for "American Idol" last year. Bryant is a popular player in part because he has shown a dignity many fans feel is lacking in other NBA stars. He frequently appears in television advertising campaigns and has a multimillion-dollar contract with Nike. He met his wife, Vanessa Laine, in April 2001 and the two were engaged while she was still in high school. Their first child, Natalia Diamante Bryant, was born in January.
NBA star Kobe Bryant charged sexual assault COLLEEN SLEVIN, Associated Press Writer Friday, July 18, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (07-18) 14:27 PDT EAGLE, Colo. (AP) -- Kobe Bryant was charged Friday with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in a case bound to tarnish the career of one of the NBA's superstars. The 24-year-old Bryant faces four years to life in prison if convicted on the single felony count, Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert told reporters during a news conference. Hurlbert refused to talk about the details of the case. Bryant maintained his innocence after the charges were filed. "I did not assault the woman who is accusing me. I made the mistake of adultery. I have to answer to my wife and my God for my actions that night and I pray that both will forgive me," he said in a statement. "Nothing that happened June 30th was against the will of the woman who now falsely accuses me."
It would be a crime for someone in Kobe's position <b>not</b> to enjoy a little pussy on the side. ...and besides, this isn't Mike Tyson we're talking about. Kobe's a gentleman, and I highly doubt he did anything illegal at all.
Now I could be wrong (it has happened once or twice in the past) but this whole thing looks like a total hatchet job against an innocent man by a wannabe celebrity 19 year old girl (did she think he invited her to his hotel room to play charades?!), and an overzealous and overambitious D.A. trying to make his career. Just by alleging sexual assult this woman is an automatic wealthy celebrity. Between book deals & playboy photoshoots, and god knows what else people will now pay her to do. Remember that bitch Kylie Ireland? She trashed Michael Jordan's good name...and then went on to be a highly paid porn star in 'Face Jam' (spoofing Jordan's 'Space Jam'). This smells like the same kind of bullshit.
I don't think it's anywhere 'in between'. His version of 100% consentual sex is probably the EXACT truth.
And what would you have her do if indeed she was the victim of sexual assault? You could be right that she is a gold digger. She could be a 19 year old scheming, manipulative girl. Then again, she doesn't come from a poor family, and her friends that have been interviewed certainly don't view her that way. Apparently, for a 19 year old she must either know someone on the inside, or posses some degree of skills to hold a position of concierge at a sophisticated, exclusive and very swank hotel. Certainly, she is no stranger to celebrities in that position. No doubt that there are many other celebrities that she could have gone after. I just suggest that people consider this: Kobe is legally innocent until proven guilty. The accuser is also innocent until she is proven false in her charges. We shouldn't immediately accuse her of the crime of false accusation without good reason, should we? The crimes of rape (yes folks, if you listen carefully to the charges, rape is implied) are quite serious. Many people who say they are sure of Kobe's innocence, if asked before all of this if Kobe would cheat on his wife and child who is barely 6 months old, would not have thought it possible for him to do something so immoral. We don't know if Kobe has had a pattern of adultery and/or sexual abuse to women....but we are going to find out now. All the dirt will come out now.
Personally, I have my opinion. I think he is guilty. I think what may have begun as consensual, turned into something criminal. I have watched Kobe play basketball, and like many superstars they have this sense of entitlement. I have seen Kobe throw an elbow in the face of an opponent, and not give a rat's ass about the pain that it caused, as if Kobe is entitled to that kind of behavior because of who he is on the court. I have seen him react when things did not go his way in an angry and somewhat violent manner. I also saw M.J. do the same thing, as have many other ball players in their very competitive states. I watched his "confession" of his guilt of adultery and claims of innocence of the charges today at the press conference he gave. I find it very easy to believe that if this girl dick teased him, then changed her mind at the last minute, that it would have pissed him off to the point of forcing her to complete a sex act. Most of these guys aren't used to being told no, especially by some 19 year old girl that might have his dick in their mouth. The smart athletes know that if you are going to have sex on the road, have it with a pro. That way it is strictly business. How often do you hear of a hooker coming forth with charges of sexual assault. I give Kobe the legal benefit of the doubt, but his "sell" job today at the press conference, which was all spin and calculated, did not convince me of innocence. Of course, I have always thought Kobe was a very sophisticated con man, so I freely admit bias. Let's see what the case and evidence brings forth.
I'm also a cocky guy with a sense of entitlement...but when I'm making out with a chick and she refuses to wave me in to home plate, the idea of rape is just out of the question. Rape is a crime committed by violent, mentally imbalanced losers in need of a sense of power and control which they lack in their lives. We'll probably never know what really happened...but I really doubt he did it.
I also get frustrated with Kobe categorizing his adultery as a "mistake." Turning right when you meant to turn left is a mistake. Clicking on buy when you meant to sell during trading is a mistake. There was no intent to do something wrong. Cheating on your wife and child is not a mistake. It is morally wrong. There is a huge difference. Where was Kobe's intent not to do wrong by having sex with that woman? He clearly knew it was wrong when he was doing it, right? So how is it a mistake? Moral wrongs are not mistakes, they are the choices that come from our defects of character, and need to be addressed as such, confessed as such, dealt with as such. He mentioned that the issue was between he, his wife, and God. What is he going to say to God? "God, I thought she was my wife, it was just a mistake on my part." I get so sick and tired of people who do things that are morally wrong, but brush it off as a "mistake." At least have the guts to explain what you mean by a mistake. The guy gave into temptation at a bare minimum. Show me where that is considered a mistake and not a sin. Should the Bible now be rewritten to say: "Let he among you who has not made a mistake, cast the first stone."