Kobe Bryant Charged with 1 count of class 3 sexual assault!!

Live News Conference (MSNBC webfeed) ^ | 7/18/2003 | Me

[Smogger]

Kobe Bryant Charged with 1 count of class 3 sexual assault!!

(4 to life)

[af_vet_1981]

Do you mean I am far from convinced that he Bill Clinton is guilty ?

[dennisw]

forceable penetration........... Thanks

[cyncooper]

And finding that took 18 days? I could be wrong, but I would think one could find it in a matter of hours.

What DNA test takes only a few hours?

[MotleyGirl70]

Whatever!!!! Mike Tyson wouldn't have needed a trial either, right? Give me a break. Chances are juries will find the evidence of "wrong doing" in this case. These athletes and men in general think they can harm women. We will just see and a jury will convict upon the evidence.

[smiley]

lol...it's called "clintonisms..." :)

[John W]

We are allowed to have opinions as to his guilt or innocence and express them here.Thats clinonista bs requiring the court of public opinion to follow the rules as they will be at actual trial.

[NCC-1701]

Brad Piasley's "Celebrity" comes to mind here. I hope this didn't happn. If it did, and he's found guilty, let him suffer the consequinces. We wouldn't get community service, if that is part of a sentence, in a worst-case scenario. We're not celebrities. I've never heard a negative thing about Kobe Bryant and I hope I never do. Again, I hope he didn't do it but if he did, let him pay.

[af_vet_1981]

where is he getting his advice from, Bill Clinton?

It worked for Bill.

That is what perps do.

[george wythe]

Bryant charged with felony sexual assault

EAGLE, Colo. (AP) -- Kobe Bryant was charged Friday with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in a case that is bound to tarnish the career of the NBA superstar.

Bryant's next court date is Aug. 6, 2003, at 4:00 p.m. EDT.

The 24-year-old Bryant faces four years to life in prison if convicted on the single felony count, Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert told reporters during a news conference.

The woman worked the front desk at the resort where Bryant was staying.

Bryant has said he is innocent. His attorney, Pamela Mackey, scheduled a Friday evening news conference in Los Angeles.

In a statement released on behalf of Bryant, through his attorneys and his agent, the Lakers guard said, "I am innocent of the charges filed today. I did not assault the woman who is accusing me.

"I made the mistake of adultery. I have to answer to my wife and my God for my actions that night and I pray that both will forgive me.

"Nothing that happened June 30 was against the will of the woman who now falsely accuses me.

"These false allegations have hurt my family. I will fight against these allegations with all my strength. My wife is the strongest person I know. She is willing to stand by me despite my mistake. That means everything to me.

"I have so much to live for. And by that I do not mean the contracts, or the money or the fame. I mean my family. I will fight for them.

"I appreciate all those who have supported me. Thank you for believing in me. My family and I are going to need your support and prayers now more than ever."

[billhilly]

" He can always pursue a second career in rap music."

Is rap music printed on a rap sheet?

[Rebelbase]

"forceable penetration"

Thats a good way to break a drill bit.

[Angelus Errare]

You'll pardon me on this one, as I do hope that everything is worked out in a fair and impartial trial, but this means that the media is going to go into full tabloid mode and we'll have to endure endless legal analyses of it on all of the major networks for months upon months to come.

[cyncooper]

It's so sad that these men with everything want more...

What? Like the ability to assault at will?

I hope he fares well.

Sweet.

[CCWoody]

This just in from KOBE:(from Drudge) 'I am innocent... I did not assault that woman... I made the mistake of adultery.' ~ rs79bm

Mistake... amazing how nobody ever sins anymore.

Woody.

[Xenalyte]

That would have been my qualifier - I don't know. I was under the impression that DNA tests don't take that long.

[connectthedots]

One of the reasons a prosecutor will wait to actually file charges is that once they are filed, the clock on the defendants right to a speedy trial starts to run, unless the defendant waives his right to a speedy trial.

In most jurisdictions, a person is entitled to a trial within 60 days if they are in custody and 90 days if they are released on bail. When you consider the time it takes to get DNA results and the need for the prosecutor to get his ducks all in a row, it is actually quite surprising that charges have actually been filed so quickly. Keep in mind that Scott Peterson still has not been charged with the murder of his wife.

[Smogger]

These athletes and men in generalm think they can harm women. We will just see and a jury will convict upon the evidence.

Spoken like a true feminazi.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Oh crapola.

Are the legions of brain-dead American sheeple going to slobber to watch this and become the 'market pull' for us as a Nation to now have KOBE BRYANT 24/7 News, harking back to the OJ Simpson days, where NOTHING but that stupid story will ever matter?

North Korea making nukes able to level Los Angeles, the city Kobe hails from, would be page 4 or 5 in prominence.

We Have Got To Get Our Priorities Straight As A Nation! And The Media Needs To Realize That, Too!

[Diddle E. Squat]

Far from it. Clinton had the background of pattern of behavior, so far as we know, Kobe does not. Clinton had a history of lying, covering up, and intimidating/paying off witnesses, so far as we know, Kobe does not.

Way too soon to make a decision either way on Kobe.

[SoCal Pubbie]

"Either that or they are playing his bluff hoping he will come forward and plea bargain with them so they don't lose face. DA's do that stupid stuff all the time.:"

There you have it. While I will still say that it is possible that Kobe is guilty, and if he is he deserves the time, I don't think there is any way they'll ever get a conviction and they know it, but that didn't stop them from filing charges. If no charges are filed, they face a HUGE lawsuit from Kobe. If they filed a misdemeanor, they had no place to go. This way, they can pressure Kobe to cop to a lesser charge, giving the alleged victim "justice", while keeping Kobe out of jail.

If there is no evidence of bruising, ripped clothes, etc., even DNA evidence of sexual contact will not be enough for a guilty verdict.