By Judith Crosson
DENVER (Reuters) - A Colorado judge on Wednesday dismissed a rape charge against basketball star Kobe Bryant after the young woman who made the accusations told prosecutors she could not go on with the case.
"This case is dismissed," District Judge Terry Ruckriegle said in an Eagle, Colorado, courtroom, bringing a stunning and abrupt halt to one of the most closely watched criminal cases in the United States.
Neither Bryant nor his 20-year-old accuser were present but the Los Angeles Lakers star issued a statement that apologized to her without admitting any wrongdoing.
"Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way that I did," Bryant said in the statement.
The woman's parents were in the courtroom to hear the prosecutor explain that the woman, who has had death threats, could not go through with the trial.
"This motion is to dismiss based on the sole fact that the victim is unable to continue," District Attorney Mark Hurlbert told the judge at the onset of the hearing.
The woman told police that Bryant raped her after she entered his hotel room on June 30, 2003 at a Vail-area resort where she worked.
The woman's attorney, John Clune, revealed that police were investigating a rape crisis counselor who may have been trying to sell information about the woman.
"I had a discussion with the FBI. The counselor was under investigation for conspiracy to sell her counseling file," Clune said.
Clune said that no discussions had taken place with Bryant's lawyer to settle a civil suit the woman filed, seeking monetary compensation. Dismissing the criminal case should not have an impact on the civil case, Clune told the court.
Earlier in the day, defense attorneys asked for a dismissal, arguing prosecutors had not disclosed that one of their own expert witnesses had information that could help Bryant.
I agree, it's a shame that the Colorado tax payers have footed the bill for this fiasco up to this point. I'm so glad I don't live there anymore. Let's hope that both parties have learned valuable lessons here, for him I hope he knows now that not only is it a temporary pleasure to cheat on your wife, it can be a costly one too.
For her, I hope she learns that you can't cry wolf and expect people to believe you when the evidence suggests otherwise.
Chelktty - What were either of these fools thinking?!! Kobe ought to be ashamed of him self putting his life, job, and wife on the line. She ought to feel like a damn fool going into the hospital with 2 other fluids belonging to two other men in her body, taking the case to this extreme, only to go sit her a** down somewhere. That's what she should have done in the first place!
Come on idiots!!!! This type of destructive behavior from both parties makes me ill!
Zerrick these two were thinking about one thing only, themselves. Nevermind the lives, trust and financial upheaval they stir up in other people. They're both totally selfish.
Did any of you guys really expect this stupidness toturn out any other way.?
Its always the same ol same ol. The person who has the big bucks can get away with most everything. Dominick Dunne the famous reporter of the stars has a good opinion when he says its the Power and privlege that gets the bums off. Hey wait until Wacko Jaco's trial starts,Another 3 ring circus maximus. Phooey!
Colorado has a horrible history of adjudicating rape cases.
In the past year alone we've had reportings of multiple rapes at the Air Force Academy, University of Colorado Boulder, and now this Bryant "character."
Nothing has been done, except slur the name of rape victims.
Yesterday's Rocky Mountain News spoke about the fact that this "evidence" AGAINST the rape VICTIM was fabricated.
The court itself leaked personal information to the media in favor of the "defendant."
She was on trial way before the trial against her rapist Kobe Bryant could ever stand trial for his crime.
The man was guilty. He knows he was guilty. She knows he was guilty...
The prosecution and defense knows he was guilty. They hoodwinked the public into believing she was guilty and not him.
Typical Colorado adjudication of rape cases.
I think its time the women of Colorado took up some axes and started chopping some wood.
Kobe was innocent from the start. The only thing he was guilty of was marital infidelity. When you start showing up to rape exxaminations with the semen of other men inside of you, you're case will lose some ground with rape, especially if you had sex after this incident. Another glaring problem was that when Dr. Michael Baden does not agree with the prosecution, it's pretty obvious that the defendant is not guilty. Dr. Michael Baden has an amazing record and if he has a doubt, then the prosecution has no case.
The burden of proof is on the prosecution. There is reasonable doubt to the girl's story and the prosecution's case thus even if they did go through with a full trial, Kobe would have been acquitted.
Innocent until proven guilty. Kobe Bryant didn't rape anyone and this has nothing to do with celebrity, there's nothing in his character that suggests he would do something like this and combined with weak prosecution and semen from other individuals, the case doesn't look too good if you want a guilty verdict.
And not all white women lust after Black men with big dxxxs.
And not all white women lust after wealthy sports stars.
It's a myth and these men need to wise up.
sowhatsthetruth said this in post #7 : Colorado has a horrible history of adjudicating rape cases.
In the past year alone we've had reportings of multiple rapes at the Air Force Academy, University of Colorado Boulder, and now this Bryant "character."
Nothing has been done, except slur the name of rape victims.
This is not a good fact, why do you think this happens?
A strictly chaunistic attitude is not sufficient for me, give me more facts please.
Yesterday's Rocky Mountain News spoke about the fact that this "evidence" AGAINST the rape VICTIM was fabricated.
The court itself leaked personal information to the media in favor of the "defendant."
This is the same thing in all trials even when the judge forbids anyone to speak, think, watch TV etc. Leaks happen
She was on trial way before the trial against her rapist Kobe Bryant could ever stand trial for his crime.
The man was guilty. He knows he was guilty. She knows he was guilty... Well I feel the same way about the Guilt of Scott Peterson.
People in Modesto wanted to lynch him but he is getting due process with an inadequte prosecution
My thread is under The Trial of Scott Peterson- Breaking news 12:39 I codialy invite you to comeonver and join the discussion .
The prosecution and defense knows he was guilty. They hoodwinked the public into believing she was guilty and not him.
Typical Colorado adjudication of rape cases.
I think its time the women of Colorado took up some axes and started chopping some wood.
The women of Colorado need to get some new legislation passed to protect the rape victims. Aint it the truth we always get the wrong end of the judicial bat!!!
It was RIPPED to shreds.
The judicial system is the problem.
I wrote my Congressman in 2001 about this very issue.
He gave me some song and dance about how the US is tempered by rule of law and how he supported money for victims assistance.
It's still not giving a voice to the MANY rape victims in this state. How can we ever stand up to this menace when we're too afraid to come forward.
Because when we do, the laws meant to protect us are used against us.
I studied martial arts to combat these creeps and have my ways of protection...
I don't trust the "law enforcement" and I don't trust our judges, lawyers, or court clerks.
We had a police "officer" who was raping prostitutes on his beat. I know one of the women... He got away scott free.
I have a dear friend who has been raped twice, by two separate men IN HER OWN HOME.
I know a judge in Arapahoe County who spends all his time presiding over incest rape cases.
There is a man practicing psychiatry in this state who was charged with raping his patients. 100's of women came forward. The American Medical Association backed him up and he is still "practicing" his craft.
If you are so uncomfortable living in Colorado, please come down to LA, All we have here is a Serial Killer, Totally Corrupt politicans from past Governors to Insurance Commisioners, one of the highest murder rates in the Nation, Heat that will make you weaK from April till October. Right in the target area for any and all hurricanes to enter the Gulf, an inadequte escape routes. Last year or year before my husband and myself left New Orleans to flee from Lili which was to be a cat 5, bad storm. Could not find a room anywhere inland in La.a nd wound up in Memphis Tenn, Lousy city, falling apart Beale Street, and I don't care to feed Elvis' heirs by visiting Graceland. So we stayed in the room reading, I was in the midst of Jane Auel's Earth Children series and my huband was reading something else. Lovely time except I had a daughter back in Louisiana who would not come with us,
ON the trip to Tenn, I would see Emergency Vehicles on the other side of the highway headed for N.O. Burned up cell phone power to check on her and Huband until she tells me Mom the hurricane fizzled and turned and is coming for Tenn!!
Ok, we also have
Rapists here and bad projects which breed bad kids that are now bad grownups, Rapists and Murderes. Our prision jails are so full our Sheriff had tents put up in the City Park to house the overflow. Oh don't get started on the politics of this State Delta.
Back ultimately to Kobe, take this one note of pleasure from this case of dismissed Rape charges: !. He will never have real freedom as a group of 12 citizens did not find him innocent.
2. He will never have an endorsement from any Corporation ever again.
3. He will be known all over the world as the man who was on trial for Rape.
Small payback, sure but lets not say he is free, cause he is not, and he never will be as long as he lives.
Like OJ, who in my opinion had the same sort of situation as Kobe , only he had the benefit of an inept Judge, inept forensic persons and inept prosecution.
And the Dream Team! LOL.
Good luck in a state that still reems of lack of moral turpitude as in the Jon Bonet Ramsey disaster. Why expect more?
I don't have to prove his innocence, nor does he. I don't need pictures. He's innocent until proven guilty. Thus he is still innocent and I always believed him to be innocent. He's guilty of adultery, not of rape.
quote:
sowhatsthetruth said this in post #9 : There was no day in court.
And whose fault is this? Kobe Bryant's fault? He's innocent because the prosecution was either sloppy or they didn't have a strong case. You can't fault the defense when the other side can't get its act together. I still point towards Michael Baden, he's one of the best in his field, so if the prosecution can't even get him to agree with their case completely, there is reasonable doubt. You only need reasonable doubt to find someone not guilty. Michael Baden would definitely have given that if case did occur.
quote:
sowhatsthetruth said this in post #9 : And not all white women lust after Black men with big dxxxs.
And not all white women lust after wealthy sports stars.
It's a myth and these men need to wise up.
I don't know where you got this from, I don't remember writing anything close to this, but I don't feel the need to comment on this.
ICB Kobe will pay for this always, read my resposne to Wtt.
He never got the chance to prove his innocence or guilt. The prosecution did a lousy job, the "vcvtim" gave in so we will never know will we.? To say he is innocent without the trial being finished is just as much a Rush to Judgement as the people who think him guilty.
What the women in Colorado need to do is start taking some responsibility. That girl knew what she was doing. She couldn't go on with the case because she figured she can't win. She say Kobe raped her but there was evidence of some other man's bodily fluids inside of her. Come on! I'm not the one to be judgemental, but let me give you the advice of a recent sexual assault victim: If you don't want the picture painted about you, don't furnish the paint because the picture is going to be painted.
apriltoshera said this in post #18 : What the women in Colorado need to do is start taking some responsibility. That girl knew what she was doing. She couldn't go on with the case because she figured she can't win. She say Kobe raped her but there was evidence of some other man's bodily fluids inside of her. Come on! I'm not the one to be judgemental, but let me give you the advice of a recent sexual assault victim: If you don't want the picture painted about you, don't furnish the paint because the picture is going to be painted.
So let's say someone has sex with their boyfriend. He leaves for work and then she is raped. Is it Rape. Of course it is. Everyone would agree that it was even though she had some other mans semen. I think more than anything you have to look at the circumstances around the act.
For instance, if a woman has sex with 5 guys in 2 days, then decides # 3 raped her. Is that credible? Is that Rape?
However if that same woman has sex with 5 guys then goes home and is violently raped by someone she knows, and it could even be one of the 5 she had consensual sex with. Is that credible?
Now let's look at it another way. How long does a woman have to report that she has been raped? If she was raped at 10:00 at night and didn't report it for 2 days. What should one glean from that? Does she have as much credibility as someone who is raped and reports it withing a couple of hours or immediately?
Now throw in the mix that that guy she had sex with between other was a Rich Basketball Player. Doesn't it look like she picked one of the guys she had sex to claim rape just because he was the one with all the money?
These are all questions a jury would have to answer.
Good Grief all that Math Ron. I am a left sided brain person or is it right sided? Whatever, the girl was very "available "to lots of men and picked Kobe to be the rapist. HMMM. Wonder why him? Could it have been $$$$.
Think so.
D
So, with your folks logic, this would make prostitutes fair game.
A prostitute could never get raped could she? She's always available, eh?
All prostitute biatches deserve whatever they get.
If a nympho says says "No" she really means "yes".
And y'all are assuming that this "evidence" was true "evidence."
I said before, the day after the charges were dropped, the Rocky Mountain News had an article which basically said the 3 penis, 3 semen theory was false.
Concocted simply to force the woman from testifying.
And it worked. She's not testifying and the entire world believes she is a whore.
Early on in the fiasco, it was stated that the victim said she would NEVER have sex with a black. This was mentioned once and for whatever reason it was dropped.
The "defense" gave up her name.
The "defense" fabricated bs evidence.
The "defense" made false accusations as to her sex life.
The judge revealed information about the victim he should not have.
The court clerks revealed information they should not have.
And as for her being in the resort. She works there for crying out loud. If a guest requests something and it requires you to be in his room....well, it's not like she was trying to score some Kobe, SHE WAS DOING HER FREAKIN JOB!!!
Kobe paid the big bucks and got off....in several ways.
Money or no money, this will haunt her for the rest of her life.
She will think of it every day. No amount of money can remove this horror from her mind.
sowhatsthetruth said this in post #26 : So, with your folks logic, this would make prostitutes fair game.
A prostitute could never get raped could she? She's always available, eh?
All prostitute biatches deserve whatever they get.
If a nympho says says "No" she really means "yes".
And y'all are assuming that this "evidence" was true "evidence."
Whoa, I don't think that's what Ron or any of the others were insinuating at all. Ron was bringing up hypothetical situations that might make people view such a case in a different light. Of coarse no woman deserves to get raped, that's absurd! But when the evidence is stacked strongly against the accuser's story, it causes reasonable doubt.
I said before, the day after the charges were dropped, the Rocky Mountain News had an article which basically said the 3 penis, 3 semen theory was false.
Concocted simply to force the woman from testifying.
And it worked. She's not testifying and the entire world believes she is a whore.
When regarding high profile cases, you can't trust the media to tell the truth...they're better at spinning a tale. In the Scott Peterson case the media claimed that he had told his mistress that he "knew who was responsible" for his wife's disappearance. But in the recordings of their conversations and transcripts, such a conversation cannot be found. It's media hype to peak the general public's interest in the case. The same could be said about the 3 partner theory, but the same could also be said in the claim that 3 partners never existed.
Early on in the fiasco, it was stated that the victim said she would NEVER have sex with a black. This was mentioned once and for whatever reason it was dropped.
See, a perfect example of media hype.
The "defense" gave up her name.
The "defense" fabricated bs evidence.
The "defense" made false accusations as to her sex life.
The judge revealed information about the victim he should not have.
The court clerks revealed information they should not have.
How can the defense fabricate evidence about the accuser? Wouldn't it also be possible for her to fabricate a story about rape? If she was found to have different semen inside of her, wouldn't it be possible that she hooked up with Kobe, and then in a plot to extort money out of him, had a staged rough encounter with another partner to make it look like she'd been raped? If there is evidence that she had multiple partners in addition to Bryant, if there is testimony from a friend of hers stating that she had been plotting to sleep with celebrities and if the accused never had a history of this kind of assault before, it would raise a magnitude of reasonable doubt.
As for the court revealing her identity, I have to say "So what?". It was perfectly alright to reveal the identity of the accused, who was harrassed in Colorado because of it. It was perfectly acceptable to publicly label and accuse him of a heinous crime. If we're to drag the image of the accused through the mud, (who is innocent until proven guilty) why can't we at least reveal the identity of the person who's doing the accusing?
And as for her being in the resort. She works there for crying out loud. If a guest requests something and it requires you to be in his room....well, it's not like she was trying to score some Kobe, SHE WAS DOING HER FREAKIN JOB!!!
Kobe paid the big bucks and got off....in several ways.
Money or no money, this will haunt her for the rest of her life.
She will think of it every day. No amount of money can remove this horror from her mind.
You really do not understand.
It's admirable that you champion the cause for victim's rights. But the fact is you don't know for sure. You were not there. Just as none of us knows for sure because we were not there. But with the evidence that was presented and admitted in court, it raises serious doubts to the idea that the accuser was telling the truth. I agree that rape is a traumatizing experience for a woman which can haunt her for her entire life and have a detrimental impact on her sexual life. But most rape victims don't brag about their rape to their friends...most rape victims don't engage in sexual relations immediately after the incident. Her actions just speak volumes about her character, and indicate that she is not a true victim.
Oh isn't that special? Ken posted on another thread that the " dad " is someone in Rehab. This girl was pregnant when she was fooling with Kobe? Never mind it is not worth an answer.
