Charges against Kobe to be dropped

[MrRant 0]

E A G L E, Colo., Sept. 1, 2004 — Prosecutors will file a motion this afternoon to dismiss the sexual assault charge against Kobe Bryant, according to sources familiar with the case.

 

The motion will say that the request is based on an agreement between the prosecution and the alleged victim. The young woman has told prosecutors she is no longer willing to testify, sources told ABC News.

 

Prosecutors will ask that the charge be dismissed with prejudice, meaning that it can never be brought again.

 

Judge Terry Ruckriegle must approve the request in order to end the criminal prosecution. He will almost certainly grant this motion.

 

Opening statements in the case were expected to begin Tuesday, with prospective jurors being interviewed this week.

 

The Los Angeles Lakers star was accused of raping the young woman on June 30, 2003, at an Eagle resort where she worked and he was a guest. He pleaded not guilty to one felony count of sexual assault.

 

Bryant, 26, has admitted having sex with the woman, who was 19 at the time, but claims it was consensual.

 

If convicted of felony sexual assault, Bryant could have faced four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation, and a fine up to $750,000.

 

The 11th-hour pullout from the criminal case can only be seen as an embarrassment for the embattled prosecution, which has struggled for months against defense claims that DNA evidence indicated the alleged victim had sex with another man after her encounter with Bryant. The woman has denied that.

 

Her attorneys complained her privacy was violated when a court clerk mistakenly posted sealed documents about the case on a Web site. The documents revealed the alleged victim's name and defense allegations about her sexual history.

 

The alleged victim filed a civil suit against Bryant on Aug. 10, seeking monetary damages of $75,000.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/US/kobe...s_040901-1.html

[Guest Anglesault]

Disgusting.

[therealworldschampion 0]

It wasn't like the criminal charges had a chance after Kobe's lawyers got their hands on the accuser's sex history

[Guest MikeSC]

It wasn't like the criminal charges had a chance after Kobe's lawyers got their hands on the accuser's sex history

I've always wondered why it's out of bounds? If she screwed several guys during that time frame and they can't clearly demonstrate that the semen in from Kobe --- there's nothing but reasonable doubt there.

-=Mike

[therealworldschampion 0]

Famous people seem to always get free from anything, as shown by the Jayson Williams case, where he was CLEARLY guilty. I felt this would be the same.

[Guest Anglesault]

While I don't like Kobe Bryant and I certainly think this whole situation is more than a little shady, it bothers me to no end that this girl will basically take the money and run. For the first time since this came out, I really don't know that he raped her.

[Brett Favre 0]

Her taking the money and run really doesn't make her look good. Makes it look like she...LIED!

 

Well, Kobe staying in the NBA is good. I'm not a Kobe fan, but it's good entertainment. So i'm happy, unless he really is...guilty.

[Guest MikeSC]

Famous people seem to always get free from anything, as shown by the Jayson Williams case, where he was CLEARLY guilty. I felt this would be the same.

Thing is --- the case against Kobe just wasn't THAT strong. It was almost EXLUSIVELY he said/she said.

 

Hell, I'd love to see Kobe counter-file for slander or defamation of character.

While I don't like Kobe Bryant and I certainly think this whole situation is more than a little shady, it bothers me to no end that this girl will basically take the money and run. For the first time since this came out, I really don't know that he raped her.

I honestly never believed that he did.

-=Mike

[Brett Favre 0]

Ah god, ESPN is telling the whole story again for the 500th time.

[Guest Anglesault]

Hell, I'd love to see Kobe counter-file for slander or defamation of character.

 

-=Mike

He really should.

[cabbageboy 0]

I never really believed that he raped her. It didn't really make any sense, and now that she's basically in it for money we see what this is all about.

 

If I'm Kobe I don't file a slander suit, I just write her that check for 75,000 and tell her to piss off. I mean, 75 grand is all she is asking for?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Given the case, We'll never know what really happened. All I know is I could live my life peacefully if I never heard about this story ever again.

[Brett Favre 0]

Given the case, We'll never know what really happened. All I know is I could live my life peacefully if I never heard about this story ever again.

ESPN: You sure about that?

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

I always questioned whether he raped her or not. The stories and evidence that leaked out against her didn't exactly paint a flattering picture of the supposed victim. The Colorado prosecuter was going to do everything he could to take her to jail as his job will definately be shaky from using all of the tax payers money for nothing. Maybe there's more evidence someowhere to further help Kobe's case which ultimately would have yielded Kobe's acquital.

[Guest fanofcoils]

This is sad, I really thought he was guilty or guilty of being the type of guy to do what he wants to without caring about what others think (just look at him no selling his former Laker coaches and teammates in the 00s and playing selfishly).

[Dangerous A 0]

Given the case, We'll never know what really happened. All I know is I could live my life peacefully if I never heard about this story ever again.

My exact sentiments, posted a few hours early.

[Red Baron 0]

All this media time while better things in sports should be covered instead.

 

Big fucking deal.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

ESPN has a feedback link. Why not try writing them and telling them there is too much Kobe coverage? Couldn't hurt.

[Red Baron 0]

ESPN has a feedback link. Why not try writing them and telling them there is too much Kobe coverage? Couldn't hurt.

Its not ESPN. Its just a general thing. So who cares about it. I mean its not like he murdered some one. I don't need day by day updates what's going on.

 

Am I that interested in what Kobe does, not really. Maybe its just American media, but I do not care what famous celebrites do in their spare time. Instead I want good programming, and highlights of sports, instead of "Kobe wasn't at court today," and cover it, when three to five more sport highlights could be added on.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

What a waste of time and effort. Poor Coloradians especially.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Am I that interested in what Kobe does, not really. Maybe its just American media, but I do not care what famous celebrites do in their spare time. Instead I want good programming, and highlights of sports, instead of "Kobe wasn't at court today," and cover it, when three to five more sport highlights could be added on.

 

Bill James wrote something I highly agree with. With ESPN and sports reported, the idea was to bring the fan inside the game. The opposite has happened. Instead of opening the lives of athletes for all to see, athletes and the media have grown increasingly distrustful of each other, and it has served to isolate the athlete from the fan.

[Highland 0]

How do you "accidently" upload sealed court documents onto a website?

[the max 0]

Bill James wrote something I highly agree with. With ESPN and sports reported, the idea was to bring the fan inside the game. The opposite has happened. Instead of opening the lives of athletes for all to see, athletes and the media have grown increasingly distrustful of each other, and it has served to isolate the athlete from the fan.

And now by default, the athlete is apathetic towards the fans and media alike. Now, the fans are excited by trivial things that the athlete does (like sign autographs). Used to be that the athlete enjoyed doing it, enjoyed meeting fans, but now they've all soured on it due to how they're treated by the media. Say, for instance, a player criticizes his manager in public. No matter what the guy does for the rest of the year, he's viewed as a crybaby. Whereas the fan loses faith in the athlete and doesn't like him as much anymore.

 

ESPN has both helped and hindered the growth of sports worldwide. They've helped by getting more sports out to more fans by giving them airtime, showing events, etc. The X-Games are rightfully kissing ESPN's ass right now, as even though extreme sports are very popular, ESPN took a risk when they aired those kinds of sports on their networks.

 

But, they've hindered the growth of sports by getting hard-ons for certain athletes and talking about them non-stop. I appreciate Barry Bonds for what he does for the game, but it doesn't make me want to watch seemingly every fucking Giants game at the beginning of the season. Little things like that alienate fans of the network and inhibit growth of more sports. The NHL has suffered from being ignored by ESPN, going from having two or three games a week to one, if they're lucky, due to the NBA contract going to ESPN. While I realize that the NBA is more popular, the ratings were only marginally better than the NHL's and ESPN kicked a fair amount of fans to the curb to show Warriors @ Trail-Blazers instead of Flames @ Canucks.

 

ESPN's non-stop on-air masturbation is getting ridiculous as well. I realize that they've been around for 25 years, and while that is impressive, all of the stupid list shows that they've been doing are getting ridiculous. It's nothing more than self-love at this point, and it's pissing off the fans and turning them away from sports, IMO.

 

The Kobe case is another example. Instead of maybe a weekly 'Outside the Lines Nightly' presentation about the goings-on, it took over VAST amounts of Sportscenter, replacing information about key games in other leagues, key match-ups that affect standings, and more. IMO, they completely crossed the line of journalism and got WAY too involved. Seemingly every Sportscenter for two weeks led off with this story, and they had NO NEW INFORMATION.

 

Ugh.

[TSA09 0]

I did like how he apologized and in his statement said how he feels that it was consensual after listening to her she didn't feel the same way he did.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

Well, at least we won't have to hear "While Kobe was on the court tonight, he was IN court earlier today" or some other variation.

 

And ESPN is always gonna support the NBA and MLB over the NHL, more sponsor tie ins with those 2, regardless of their ratings. An NBA player can market a shoe, that shoe company now has to buy time on ESPN during a basketball game to display commercials of said player and his shoe during a time when basketball fans will be watching in mass. You just can't do the same thing with an NHL guy.

[Guest Vitamin X]

*rejoices*

 

So Kobe's just an adulterer now, not a rapist. Quite an improvement, and certainly fits in with being a prime example of American society.

 

He should fly out to Colorado just for the hell of it before games anyways so he can get that in-court, on-court boost he always got in the playoffs and late in the season.

 

Either way, thank goodness this is all over.

[Guest Paul H.]

Thing is she was clearly a slut and he taught that's how she liked sounds fucked -up but it happens everyday.I wouldn't give her shit and she should be investigated for false accusations,didn't she file for the same shit before?I've read somewhere like 40% of rape accusations end up being dropped.

 

 

Dumb bicthes..

[Vern Gagne 0]

Famous people seem to always get free from anything, as shown by the Jayson Williams case, where he was CLEARLY guilty. I felt this would be the same.

Famous people also going to be accused of a lot more than the avearage guy on the street. So while their name helps them, it does hurt them.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

 

Hell, I'd love to see Kobe counter-file for slander or defamation of character.

 

        -=Mike

He really should.

Ditto.

 

When it comes to rape accusations, the only time I take one of these charges seriously is when it's made shortly after the alleged incident. If some chick comes out and accuses someone of rape 20 years after it happened, I don't want to hear it.

 

So because this accusation at Kobe was farily recent, I entered this case with an open mind. However, my b.s. detector kept going off, and I hope this bitch gets what she deserves -- raped by Kobe's lawyers.

 

And I wonder how much of a precedent this trial will set in regards to drudging up the sexual history of other women accusing men of rape?...

[Dr. Tom 0]

Thing is she was clearly a slut

"Sluts" can be raped just like anyone else can. Just because a woman has had mutliple sexual partners in her life (which does not make her a "slut," btw; that's just a patriarchal and chauvinistic pejorative) does not mean she wants to have sex with everyone who comes along. No still means no.

 

I'm not saying Kobe raped her, mind you, since I don't know and really don't care. But if she said no and he did it anyway, that's rape, and it doesn't matter how many men she's slept with before.

 

Obviously, if she had sex with someone else after Kobe the same night, that damages her case; rape is an emotional trauma even moreso than a physical one, and a woman who was raped would not go out and sleep with someone that same night.

 

I've read somewhere like 40% of rape accusations end up being dropped.

If that's true, I imagine it's because the victim usually ends up being the one on trial in rape cases. The defense will demean her for her sexual history -- which is no one's business but hers -- and go for other cheap tactics like the way she was dressed. Any defendant in a court case should be able to defend himself of the charges against him, but when that turns into attacks on someone who's already a victim, then a line has been crossed.