By Steve Lipsher Denver Post Staff Writer
The woman who accused Kobe Bryant of rape reimbursed the state's victim-compensation fund $20,000 on Thursday as a result of her civil settlement with the basketball star, officials said.
The payment officially closes the case against Bryant, ending a saga of almost two years.
The money - used to pay for the 19-year-old woman's mental-health counseling and lost wages - at one point became the subject of a heated dispute during the criminal proceedings, as defense attorneys suggested it gave her motivation to press charges.
The woman, now 20, reached an undisclosed settlement with Bryant on March 2 in a federal civil suit after dropping out of the criminal case on the eve of trial last September.
Under state law, victim's compensation must be repaid in the case of a civil award, regardless of the outcome of a criminal case, although administrators admit they don't often learn of outside settlements.
The terms are secret, but law experts say the NBA star could pay his accuser $300,000 to $4 million.
By Howard Pankratz and Mike McPhee Denver Post Staff Writers
Kobe Bryant and the woman who accused him of raping her at a Colorado resort reached a settlement Wednesday when lawyers representing both asked that her civil lawsuit against the NBA star be dismissed.
In a joint request, lawyers for both sides asked U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning it can not be filed again.
The request in U.S. District Court in Denver was signed by Hal Haddon, representing Bryant, and Lin Wood, the Atlanta-based attorney representing the woman.
Although no papers were filed indicating a monetary settlement, most lawyers believe Bryant probably paid the woman a substantial sum of money.
In a news release, the lawyers simply said the lawsuit "has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. The parties and their attorneys have agreed that no further comments about the matter can or will be made