Bryant denial made accuser 'sick to her stomach,' friend says

CNN ^ | July 21, 2003 | CNN

[Recourse]

EAGLE, Colorado (CNN) --Hearing NBA all-star Kobe Bryant deny the sexual assault charge filed against him made his accuser "sick to her stomach," a friend of the woman said Monday.

Bryant, an all-star guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, has been charged with one count of sexual assault. He has steadfastly maintained his innocence, and after the charge was announced Friday, he admitted having sex with his 19-year-old accuser but said the encounter was consensual.

[TheOtherOne]

All in twenty minutes, hm?

What in that scenario is would take more time than the alleged rape?

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Only because your thinking is clouded by the assumption that the woman must be lying. The simplest explanation for the facts we have is that he assaulted her. That's why there is an indictment.

Notice I emphasized the "we have." Quite frankly, I don't think we have anywhere near enough evidence to declare either Kobe guilty or her a liar. We just don't know enough. But I find it very interesting the lengths that some people will go to to pidgeon-hole what little we do know of this case into whatever prejudices they have...

[SoCal Pubbie]

I'm sure victims act in all sorts of ways. There is probably no "standard" response. I think that while the delay in reporting is not in itself sinister or unusual, it could on the other hand be a sign of "buyer's remorse" or some other motivation.

I want to make it clear that I really want to know what happened, and if guilty I'll be the loudest in calling for Kobe's scalp. We just do not know enough of the facts, as opposed to rumor and "news leaks" to make a decision on sexual assault at this time, IMHO.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Guess this is a "defend Kobe at all costs" thread.

[TheOtherOne]

Occam's razor...

She comes to the room. They engage in sex. Kobe, not looking for a relationship, asks her to leave. She snaps. He tries to calm her down, and get her out of his room. She gets loud and he has to push her out.

Seems simple enough. How about her story, too me, many more assumptions.

[Iwo Jima]

That's two sad stories that you told us about. Quite sickening, in fact.

[cyncooper]

Acording to at least one report, the D.A. DID NOT know of the 911 calls.

The DA, Mark Hurlbert, was on Dan Abrams tonight and said himself that quote attributed to his office was misquoted. He said they have done a thorough check.

[Tall_Texan]

Are we to believe that after having been raped -- in her own hometown and in her place of employment surrounded by those who know and support her -- she docilely put her clothes back on and quietly left without lodging any complaint whatsoever? (And then failed to make any complaint or take a shower for 12 hours.)

Yes, I do. Shock and/or embarrassment does that to people. A rape victim would likely feel one or both. On the contrary, a lying attention-seeking groupie might react quite differently if she was out to scam the adultering athlete.

I'm truly amazed at how many posters (I'm presuming most are men) seem to think that a rape victim should immediately go running and screaming to the cops instead of dealing with the shock, physical pain and emotional chaos of being raped while trying to determine what they should say or whom to say it to. And all we know is that it was 12 hours before she reported it *to the police*. That doesn't mean she didn't tell her parents, a co-worker or a best friend - although I don't know if she would anyways.

From what I hear about victims of rape, they are stunned at first. They might blame themselves or they might just be so shocked that they don't know what to do or think.

Keep in mind that this was near midnight so twelve hours is simply noon the next day - that's not much time when you're shocked and confused. If you haven't been there yourself, how can you say what is a normal time to wait before reporting a rape, much less judging her for it?

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

We just do not know enough of the facts, as opposed to rumor and "news leaks" to make a decision on sexual assault at this time, IMHO.

Agreed. I've been saying that on every thread I've been on (feel free to do a search). What bothers me is the alacrity with which supposed "rational" and thinking conservatives here on FR immediately extrapolate the specifics of this case, based on nothing more than their own internal prejudices. These threads say a lot more about the kind of people posting to them, and their mental hang-ups and warped worldviews, that they do about the case at hand...

[cyncooper]

Is the push supposed to account for any bruising in your scenario?

From the media reports (which can be wrong) you need to work in that he pushes her so hard that her clothes get torn.

[honeygrl]

"Both your bias and lack of comprehension are showing. "

cinFLA's bias and lack of comprehension has been showing for quite a while.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Why is this such a divisive issue already? It has become vicious here on the FR every time the subject is brought up. And NONE of us know any real facts as yet, and probably won't for quite a while.

You think this is bad, you should of visited the Westerfield threads. Wholesale slaughter...

[TheOtherOne]

From the media reports (which can be wrong) you need to work in that he pushes her so hard that her clothes get torn.

Try to see it from the other side. Perhaps she was resisting so hard her clothes got torn. Seems equally plausable. Do you think it is hard for a 6'8" man to rip a piece of clothing by grabbing it - it really is a question of how they were ripped. Was he taking her clothes off against her will or merely trying to restrain her or usher her out of the room. I would assume the actual clothing may help point to one way or the other.

[cinFLA]

You must have comprehension problems. He said his endorsements don't mattter, only his family - He never talked "about how all this should not affect his endorsements." You have made that up and completely turned around what he said.

He said this "shouldn't be about my endorsements."

[Tall_Texan]

But to you, that's it, one strike and you're out.

So the first time your wife/girlfriend f*cked around on you, it was no big deal right? Everybody does it?

To a lot (dare I say MOST) married people it IS "one strike and you're out". It takes a great deal of character (or co-dependancy) to overcome infidelity.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Quite frankly, I've always thought that the feminists "rape" claims are over-blown (and still do, in fact). I had a friend of mine (and athlete) be falsely accused of rape (it was more like buyer's remorse), and it really destroyed his reputation, even after he was cleared (he was never even arrested or indicted; too many people saw the two of them at the party both before and afterward. But that didn't stop the whispering...). But the few true cases I've seen have been absolutely horrific.

I can't understand how this kind of thing happens. I'm a single male (never married) in my thirties, and I have never, ever been tempted to force sex on anyone. To be honest, I wouldn't even want a woman to sleep with me (no matter how beautiful) if she had no feelings toward me. So I can't grasp why anyone would do that kind of thing. I know some people are rapists, and I know some women are motivated to lie about these things, but the whole situation here baffles me. It makes no sense...

[Iwo Jima]

If you haven't been there yourself, how can you say what is a normal time to wait before reporting a rape, much less judging her for it?

Well, I haven't been there myself and neither has anyone close to me (thank God). But that's something that I have in common with the eventual jurors in this case. Looking at it as though I were a juror, I ask myself what evidence I would require to send a man away to prison for rape, and all that I can say is that it is more evidence than I have heard thus far.

Of course, if you do convince me (as a hypothetical juror) of his guilt, he's going to go away for a long, long time.

[TheOtherOne]

He said this "shouldn't be about my endorsements."

Kobe said: "We have a lot at stake, I have a lot at stake, and it has nothing to do with the game of basketball, it has nothing to do with endorsements. Nothing at all. This is about us. This is about our family. And I've been falsely accused of something and I'm innocent. Shoulder to shoulder we're going to fight this all the way to the end.

Psst, quotation marks are not decoration. It may be easier to make them up, but not quite as convincing to others.

[Iwo Jima]

You really have seen all sides of a horrible situation, haven't you? I hope that I never equal your experience, but am more than willing to consider your insights.

[TheOtherOne]

LOL, I just re-read your original post. You claim you also got sick because Kobe was saying how this incident shouldn't affect his endorsements. You were implying that he was saying he should keep his endorsements. You have major problems girl.

"I wasn't raped by him but he made me feel sick to the stomach also as I watched him talk about how all this should not affect his endorsements."