Prosecutors say Kobe lied to authorities

Phildaelphia Inquirer ^ | July 31, 2003 | GEORGE MERRITT & CHRIS FRATES

[Recourse]

Posted on Thu, Jul. 31, 2003

Prosecutors say Kobe lied to authorities

Report: D.A.'s case will focus on injuries, 'inconsistencies' in statements

By GEORGE MERRITT & CHRIS FRATES Denver Post

EAGLE, Colo. - Prosecutors will argue that basketball star Kobe Bryant and his 19-year-old accuser had some consensual sexual contact, but the intercourse was not consensual, unnamed sources have told ABC News.

Sources also told ABC the prosecution will argue Bryant "deceived law-enforcement officials and that he gave inconsistent statements."

District Attorney Mark Hurlbert deferred questions to a spokeswoman, who would not comment on the report.

Hurlbert, however, has said there was "alleged sexual penetration or intrusion" and that Bryant caused "submission of the victim through actual physical force."

Hurlbert charged Bryant July 18 with one count of felony sexual assault after the woman, an employee at the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Edwards, accused the Los Angeles Lakers star of sexual assault stemming from a June 30 incident at the resort.

After he was charged, Bryant admitted to having sex with the woman, but he maintained the sex was consensual.

Still, Denver trial lawyer Craig Silverman said it may not matter if Bryant lied to investigators.

"I don't think it means a lot," Silverman said. "In the post-Bill Clinton era it's not surprising that a married man would lie about a martial infidelity."

Bryant was in Colorado for a scheduled knee surgery when the incident occurred. He was contacted by the Eagle County Sheriff's office on July 1 and submitted DNA samples at a local hospital. He was arrested July 4.

If convicted, Bryant faces four years to life in prison. He is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, though it is unclear whether he will be there in person or whether a representative will appear on his behalf.

The judge in the case, Frederick Gannett, warned news organizations yesterday not to publish or broadcast the name or photograph of any witness, juror, potential juror or the alleged victim and her family on the courthouse grounds. Any organization violating the order could be denied a seat in the courtroom.

Gannett will hear arguments today on whether the records should be made public.

Attorneys for media organizations - including the Los Angeles Times, Denver Post and NBC - have argued that many details have been publicized already.

Hurlbert and defense lawyers want to keep the records sealed, arguing that publicity could affect Bryant's right to a fair trial. Defense attorneys Pamela Mackey and Hal Haddon also have asked Gannett to reconsider an earlier order allowing cameras in the courtroom during next week's hearing.

[cyncooper]

I was just Googling around and LOOK at what I found.

It was written less than one week before the alleged assault. The writer is comparing Kobe Bryant to (get this!) Bill Clinton. The writer loves clinton and Bryant.

Isn't it funny how the headline reads in light of the accusation Bryant is facing? When I clicked I expected to see how they are both suspected rapists, not in part, an "ode to bill".

Kobe Bryant & Bill Clinton One And The Same. Written June 24, 2003.

Kobe Bryant and Bill Clinton must have been separated at birth. Never mind the fact that one is black and 6’8 and the other is white and 6’2”. Never mind the fact that Bill is a full generation older than Kobe. I still say these two are twins in spirit and fate for this important reason: Never have two men, so much in the public eye, been so utterly successful in what they set out to do, but been so utterly hated on by such large segments of the American population for no good reason.

Since I didn't follow Kobe Bryant before this story I was surprised to read there were "Kobe Haters" out there. Just like poor old bill. LOL

[cinFLA]

Kobe called down to the front desk after she got off duty to see if she was still interested in coming up to his room.

Not.

[cyncooper]

And if you click and read the "Kobe and Bill are just hated for no good reason" thing, note the author includes a pic of clinton holding hands with a kid and the kid is looking *away*. hehe

The writer even asserts that noble bill has his office in Harlem in order to save taxpayers money (like it was his first idea to open his office there---rofl) and he says Bush goes around shooting birds with a gun!

It really is a stitch.

[af_vet_1981]

Corrected here:

Never have two men, so much in the public eye, been so utterly successful in what they set out to do, but been so utterly hated on by such large segments of the American population for such good reason.

[EllaMinnow]

LOL! Excellent find, cyn!

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Anyone see the story in this week's "National Enquirer" ('oh, no, not that rag!') about the three college students who lived in her dorm who are named and on record as saying this young woman has very little credibility?

Makes for interesting reading.

Something's just not adding up in all this.

[hobbes1]

Hannity had on the girl that was mistakenly identified as the accuser, and she refused to answer point blank the following two questions...

But, you can say she is a pretty good kid right? N/C

Well, you believe her story right? N/C

The Defense is going to have their way with this one....

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Strange, indeed.

Some of the most telling aspects are the assertions that the accuser's aunt is a local assistant district attorney, the father plays golf with the Sheriff, and the Sheriff was the young woman's second grade teacher.

Reminds me of the line in Rosemary's Baby -- "All of them witches."

It's certainly a cautionary tale for young men and women alike.

[hobbes1]

Yes Indeed.

[cyncooper]

Fox (Shep says exclusive on Fox) reporting that the 7/3 911 call was for a female. Both 911 calls from the Bryant home were for a female.

Carol McKinley just got the records of two 911 calls made over a 4 month period.

Someone else made the first call at night about 6 something and the woman was taken to a hospital and treated while the friend watched the baby.

The July 3 call was made by Bryant who hung up. The dispatcher called back and Bryant acknowledged making the call and paramedics came to the home and treated a woman for about 23 minutes.

She had more details but I can't type too fast, but that's the gist. The female is not identified but I would *guess* it's the wife.

Wasn't sure if there was a current Bryant thread so thought it made the most sense to tag this info onto the discussion about this topic held yesterday.

[EllaMinnow]

That's exactly as I heard it.

[MizSterious]

Thanks for verifying what I heard. The one I heard was on John Gibson's show (but the Judge was sitting in for him). If Bryant did what he is accused of doing, I thought there should be a history of this sort of thing. This might not be an indication of that at all...then again, it might.

[cyncooper]

Heads up for anybody who wants to hear the report. John Kasich is in for O'Reilly tonight and listed this topic as part of tonight's program.

Right now the show is talking about Saddam's daughters.

[dwd1]

Looks like those spelling contests I won as a kid are coming back to haunt me....I celebrate the Juneteenth and I read Langston Hughes...I also like women with large, shapely behinds...Other than that, I will have to assume that unless my eyesight is defective or my mirror is in need of repair, I am what I am...

[cyncooper]

Rita Cosby reporting on the 911 calls. She glossed over the March call, but noted that a family friend placed that call on behalf of a woman needing help.

She said what's most interesting is the July 3 call. That the call was placed and a hang up. Police were dispatched anyway and when they arrived a woman was treated. They said it did not appear a crime took place.

Rita said we don't know for a fact it was the wife (my guess is it was).

Rita talked about Eagle County having to pay $800,000 (I think that was the amount) to minorities several years ago because of the frequency of pullovers of blacks and this was some settlement. The defense will be using this angle to show Eagle County is a hotbed of racists.

[MizSterious]

As mentioned before...all we need is a slow-speed chase, and it's deja vu all over again.

Thanks for the report. It's stormy enough here that our satellite system is "trying to obtain signal."

[ladyinred]

Excuse me, for those who are saying that if she consented to other acts besides intercourse therefore he didn't rape her, may I suggest that in the era of Bill Clinton those other acts are NOT SEX, therefore she did not consent to sex thus it is rape.

[mewzilla]

How can they tell who made the second call, though, if the caller hung up? All the caller ID would ID is the number.

[dwd1]

I think the general consensus here is that if she said no at any point and he did not comply with her demand to cease and desist in sexual activity, he is guilty of rape as Colorado law reads...The question will be, is he guilty of the specific crime he is charged with?....

We are all simply waiting for the evidence...

[cyncooper]

How can they tell who made the second call, though, if the caller hung up? All the caller ID would ID is the number.

Carol McKinley reported during Shep's program that Kobe Bryant told them he had made the July 3 call.