Posted on 12/19/2003 1:29:59 PM PST by Smogger
EAGLE, Colo. -- In an embarrassing admission, the man prosecuting Kobe Bryant said Friday that someone in his office ordered T-shirts that mock the NBA star, including one carrying the words: "I'm not a rapist; I'm just a cheater."
Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert also said he and fellow Bryant prosecutor Greg Crittenden were each given one of the shirts by "an unknown source."
Hurlbert said he immediately disposed of the shirt and Crittenden did so later. Neither wore the shirt, the prosecutor said in a prepared statement.
Hurlbert said "office support staff" had ordered the shirts without his knowledge or authorization -- something he didn't know in October when his office denied any involvement in ordering the shirts -- and that he had taken unspecified action to "address this matter."
He said no money was paid for the shirts.
The issue came up during a pretrial hearing Friday to determine, among other things, what evidence will be allowed at trial. Defense attorney Pamela Mackey called the shirts inflammatory and derogatory, and asked for an investigation. The judge, however, told prosecutors to supply details to the defense by Jan. 5 -- including who is involved.
Last week, Bryant's attorneys asked the judge to help them find out whether sheriff's deputies or prosecution employees had ordered the shirts, accusing the investigating agencies of bias. Mackey mentioned bias again in open court Friday, but did not elaborate.
Bryant, 25, is charged with attacking a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado resort last June. He has said the two had consensual sex.
Officials with the Eagle County sheriff's office have said a company called hangmantees.com gave the office two black T-shirts with a Bryant theme on Oct. 9, the first day of his preliminary hearing.
One has Bryant's No. 8 on the back with the words, "I'm not a rapist; I'm just a cheater." The other lists the costs of Bryant's trip to Eagle County and ends with, "Not bringing your wife to Colorado with you -- priceless.''
Mackey said the shirts have been characterized as racist and "invocative of Klan lynching."
Hurlbert disagreed.
"The shirts may be inappropriate, but they are certainly not racist," he said in the statement. He called the shirts a "peripheral issue that has diverted attention away from the actual issue of the sexual assault charges."
Like I said, "schoolyard".
My bad. It's contained in previous articles about this story. To wit. It has a picture of a hangman on the front and is sold from the website www.hangkobe.com.
Not much of an apology considering what you said to her.
Your assertion is as ridiculous as the DA's defense of the shirt. Rape isn't a capital crime in less it's at the hands of a mob.
Total complete and utter nonesence. Until a few days ago they offered a grand total of two products. A bottle cap opener with a four leaf clover and the HANG KOBE T-SHIRTS. I see they have added Michael Jackson another black celebrity apparently worthly of lynching. This brings their product line up to a total of three.
In a lame attempt to innoculate themselves from charges of racism. To wit, they were created to sell only the HANG KOBE T-SHIRT. They sell them from a website called: www.hangkobe.com. I see they have added a T-Shirt calling for MJ to be lynched. How original.
Some people are incredible easy to fool.
Look it up on dictionary.com, idiot.
Rape isn't a capital crime in less it's at the hands of a mob.
Some forms of sex are rape just as some forms of hangings are lynchings. However not all sex is rape and not all hangings are lynchings. You Kobots are so ignorant it's not even interesting to discuss anything with you.
You on the other are obtuse.
You're an ass who can't apologize when he's wrong (which is often).
And since you feel the need to start hurling pejoratives around...
DUMMY
Good gosh, you Kobots are dumber than a box of rocks. Look it up! A lynching is a hanging without due process. Sheesh!
And since you feel the need to start hurling pejoratives around... DUMMY
I started it? You called us racist Klan members at the first of this thread (over a stupid mistake by you on top of it!). Don't dish it out if you can't take it.
Anyone who wants to can look up "lynch" at dictionary.com and see that I'm exactly right. Why you insist on arguing about this is beyond me. I guess you have a little of Baghdad Bob in ya. lol
To: onyx; phreebass; Howlin
By the above I see you calling for help. lol
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To: cinFLA
How much are you being paid to spread lies and pro-drug propaganda?
Oh...maybe enough to guarantee early retirement. I'm living the American dream, baby! Making big bucks, enjoying capitalism and relishing freedom and liberty and respecting other Americans' freedom of choice. How much are you being paid to spread lies and pro-Drug Warrior propaganda?
208 posted on 12/18/2003 9:25:28 PM PST by xrp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 206 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
Hillary
Arnold
Peterson or
Rush Limbaugh.
Clearly they are racists over at hangmantees.com
RME
As for the cops? They deserve an award for STUPIDITY.
I have to agree with that. They act just like liberals. If they disagree with you it's racist. I think Sinkspur is taking his fan adoration a little too far.
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