Defense asks for investigation (Fox News Carol McKinley broke the story)

AP ^ | Friday, December 19, 2003 | AP

[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."

[RikaStrom]

Sink... in the initial article, there isn't any mention of the little hangman picture, so really, for those people who haven't been following this, the statement stands. A bit rude, but hardly racist.

Sometime a little background information is helpful. But hey, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

[#3Fan]

This accuser is an unstable girl, who had sex with three guys in three days, one of whom she accuses of rape.

What's your proof of this?

[#3Fan]

This article isn't about those shirts, is it?

[stop_fascism]

I hadn't seen that part of it. Definitely in bad taste, probably racist. Of course, I'm from California, where I'm proud to say lynching of Caucasians outnumbered those of blacks.

[#3Fan]

And it's not racist anyway, it's a kid's game.

[sinkspur]

This article isn't about those shirts, is it?

The article doesn't mention the front of the shirt, just the back.

Do you deny that the front can be taken as racist?

[sinkspur]

And it's not racist anyway, it's a kid's game.

You're either ignorant or just being obstinate.

[#3Fan]

I hadn't seen that part of it. Definitely in bad taste, probably racist. Of course, I'm from California, where I'm proud to say lynching of Caucasians outnumbered those of blacks.

A hanging as a result of due-process is not a lynching.

[sinkspur]

(Besides, her previous sex life is no one else's business but her own! "No!" means no!)

Not if she accuses Kobe Bryant of injuring her, and she's had intercourse with two other men in 72 hours.

The defense has every right to raise the question as to who, exactly, caused those injuries.

[sinkspur]

A hanging as a result of due-process is not a lynching.

That settles it; you're just ignorant.

[stop_fascism]

The law doesn't say that only stable non-promiscuous women can be raped. In fact,it could be argued, that having sex with three men and only accusing one of rape is indicative of guilt not innocence. Why didn't she accuse the other two of rape?

That being said, it looks like the prosecution is wasting everyone's money. I don't see a chance of a conviction.

[#3Fan]

The article doesn't mention the front of the shirt, just the back. Do you deny that the front can be taken as racist?

Hell, making taxes flatter is considered racist by some. Some people think everything is racist. You Bryant defenders aren't far from it.

[#3Fan]

You're either ignorant or just being obstinate.

You're playing the race card.

[#3Fan]

That settles it; you're just ignorant.

Look it up at dictionary.com, stupid. A lynching is a hanging without due process.

[LisaMalia]

This accuser is an unstable girl, who had sex with three guys in three days, one of whom she accuses of rape. The prosecution's prime witness is also compromised, as he nailed her a week before the supposed rape. There seem to be few men who come in contact with her that she doesn't jump in the sack with.

Reminds me of the way Nichole was trashed during the OJ Simpson trial.

The best "mega rich sports idol" defense seems to be... make the (alleged, gotta be pc here) victim look as bad as possible. At least this woman got away with her life.....

Seems to work for "mega rich music idols" as well.

[xrp]

YOU ARE THE LIBERAL!

[L.N. Smithee]

See #34. That's not racist?

Nope. Race has nothing to do with it. Let me interject at this point that I am black.

Look at the homepage of the company, and you'll see that they're not just going after Kobe and Michael Jackson, but Scott Peterson, Hillary, Rush, and Arnold as well, and any so-called "role model" that has a fall from grace. Arnold is winning an online poll asking "whom should we hang next?"

[#3Fan]

You Bryant defenders get past the sixth grade?

[sinkspur]

The best "mega rich sports idol" defense seems to be... make the (alleged, gotta be pc here) victim look as bad as possible. At least this woman got away with her life.....

She's not a "victim"; she's an "accuser."

And she's made herself look pretty ragged all by her self.

Two attempts at suicide
Promiscuity
Friends who say she's an attention-seeker.

Remember, the prosecution has to prove rape, not just make the accusation.

[Hiro Protaginast]

To me it looks like the company's logo,Hangman Tees, not something that was printed specifically for this shirt. So, no, it's not in any way racist.