chelktty
In the Now Guru
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Registered: Apr 2003
Local time: 10:09 PM
Location: Tampa
Posts: 2197
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Kobe Bryant's Accuser Must Be Identified in Civil Lawsuit, Federal Judge Says
The Associated Press
DENVER Oct. 7, 2004 — A federal judge has ruled that the woman accusing Kobe Bryant of rape must disclose her identity in her civil lawsuit against the NBA star, arguing the woman's continued anonymity could be misconstrued as a prejudgement in her favor.
U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch on Wednesday rejected arguments by the woman's attorneys that she remain unidentified since she has been the subject of death threats and sordid publicity for more than a year.
"The parties appear as equals before the court and that fundamental principle must be protected throughout these proceedings," Matsch said. "Public confidence in the results of court proceedings require that they be open to observation."
Attorneys for Bryant, 26, opposed the anonymity request earlier this week, saying his accuser shouldn't be able to bring a "false accusation" in her lawsuit without being identified.
No trial date has been set in the civil lawsuit.
Prosecutors dismissed a felony sexual assault charge against Bryant last month after the woman said she no longer wanted to participate in a criminal trial. Bryant has always insisted the encounter between the two at a Vail-area resort last summer was consensual.
John Clune, an attorney for the 20-year-old woman, said there were no plans to drop the civil suit, which seeks unspecified damages for what the woman says has been ridicule, pain and suffering since the incident.
"We knew this was a definite possibility and it's not a complete surprise," Clune said of the judge's decision. Courts rarely allow parties in civil suits to remain anonymous, even cases of alleged sexual assault.
The woman's identity has been splashed across the Internet in part because of mistakes by courthouse staff in posting case filings on a state Web site.
Most major news organizations, however, have not identified the woman in keeping with long-standing practice of protecting alleged rape victims. The Rocky Mountain News, in a court filing this week, hinted it may identify the woman once the civil trial gets under way.
Bryant's attorneys did not immediately return phone messages seeking comment.
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Holy War....You're basically killing each other to see who's got the better imaginary friend. - Richard Jeni |
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10-07-2004 09:22 PM
