The Denver Post

Bryant DA denies withholding info
County prosecutor blasts a lawyer a day after she dropped efforts to keep records from the case sealed. "The hypocrisy is staggering," he says.
By Steve Lipsher
Denver Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - The district attorney in the Kobe Bryant case testily responded Tuesday to contentions by the basketball star's lawyers that he failed to provide information that could have cleared Bryant and that the material wouldn't be included in a public release of documents.

Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert, responding to a motion from Bryant's attorney dropping the efforts to keep records sealed, accused the defense of perpetrating "half-truths and outright lies upon the court and the public."

"It appears this is another attempt by these attorneys to sway the court of public opinion by misleading the public and obfuscating the truth," Hurlbert wrote in his response.

He disputed defense contentions that he had withheld any information or that he would sanitize the documents he will make available as public records, and he faulted the defense for leaking negative information about the accuser all along.

Bryant's attorneys "reveal information that is protected by statute and then complain about the privacy interests of their client. They have no compunction of violating several innocent people's privacy rights on a whim," Hurlbert wrote. "The hypocrisy is staggering."

On Monday, defense attorney Pamela Mackey filed the motion agreeing to end the fight, saying that the records were already being leaked illegally and declaring that it would be better for all of the files to be released at once - including those damaging to the prosecution.

Hurlbert dropped the sexual-assault case against Bryant during jury selection Sept. 1 after the 20-year-old accuser indicated she would not willingly participate in the trial.

Staff writer Steve Lipsher can be reached at 970-513- 9495 or at slipsher@denverpost.com .