The Denver Post
Jury selection resumes in Bryant case
Tuesday, August 31, 2004 -
Eagle - The judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case said today he would question some jurors in open court about their opinions in the case, despite prosecutors' concerns that doing so might unfairly influence other potential panelists.
"It is my understanding that many jurors yesterday indicated they had gleaned a lot of information not only from the press but from folks around town," prosecutor Ingrid Bakke said today. "It's information that won't come up at trial, but that is very prejudicial to this case." She said those with a strong opinion on Bryant's guilt or innocence based on that kind of information should be questioned only behind closed doors. Open-court questioning should be conducted as long as the queries don't delve into information behind a person's opinions, she said. District Judge Terry Ruckriegle said although he was aware of the prosecutor's concerns, he was still bound to conduct some questioning in open court. Jurors are instructed to reach a verdict based only on evidence presented in court, something the judge called "a monumental task in this case." Jury selection will be private until at least Wednesday, when reporters will be able to watch and listen through closed-circuit television. By then, the jury pool will likely have been whittled considerably. Opening statements are expected Sept. 7. Jury selection began last Friday. Attorneys have been conducting closed-door questioning of prospective panelists, seeking out their attitudes about race, experiences with sexual assault and any effect pretrial publicity has had on them. Bryant, 26, has pleaded not guilty to felony sexual assault, saying he had consensual sex with a then-19-year-old employee at a Vail-area resort where he stayed last summer. If convicted, the Los Angeles Lakers star faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation, and a fine up to $750,000.
Click here for the questions asked of potential jurors in the People v. Bryant case.
Click here for the official court website with officials court orders, filings and documents in the People v. Bryant case.
Click here to see a copy of the felony charges against Bryant in the PDF format. case.
Click here for a chronology of the Bryant case.
Click here for The Denver Post's graphic describing the events of June 30, 2003.
Click here for an interactive presentation on Bryant's career.
Click here for the 9NEWS archive on the case.
Click here for the CourtTV archive on the case.
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