Denver Post
nba
Kobe Bryant arrested in sex case
Superstar for Lakers posts $25,000 bond in Eagle County
Monday, July 07, 2003 - Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant turned himself in to Eagle County authorities after an arrest warrant was issued accusing him of felony sexual assault, the Eagle County sheriff's department said Sunday.
An unidentified woman told sheriff's deputies that Bryant was involved in sexual misconduct the night of June 30 at an Edwards-area hotel. The 24-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star turned himself in Friday, was released after posting $25,000 bond and was cooperating with authorities, according to the sheriff's department. "Mr. Bryant is innocent," said his lawyer Pamela Mackey. "I don't know what the facts of the allegations are, but we expect him to be completely exonerated." District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said that his office was contacted about the case last week but that he hadn't seen the case personally. "There's been no decision yet" on filing charges, Hurlbert said from his home Sunday night, "and we'll make that decision once we've looked at all the reports." Sheriff's investigators met with the district attorney's office and concluded, based on interviews and physical evidence, that they had enough evidence to charge Bryant with felony sexual assault, the sheriff's department said in a news release. Bryant was in the Vail area to have surgery on his right knee at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic, Mackey said. Paul Pastoor, general manager for the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Edwards, confirmed Bryant stayed at the luxury resort from June 30 to about July 3. Bryant found out about the arrest warrant when Mackey called him in Los Angeles on Independence Day, Mackey said. "He was distraught," Mackey said. "I said, 'You need to come and turn yourself in right now."' That same day, Bryant flew to Eagle with his wife and posted the bond, Mackey said. Information about the case was sealed by Judge Russell Granger, and the Eagle County Sheriff's Office would offer no comment beyond the news release. "Everything has been sealed," Deputy Sheriff Steve Ramsey said. Mackey said the judge sealed the case at his own discretion: "The judge did it on his own. It was not in open court." Hurlbert said, "There's a chance of us not filing charges, (or of) filing different charges. ... The sex-assault case is kind of up in the air right now because we haven't really had a chance to look at the case." Bryant's lawyers said in a news release Sunday night that the Eagle County Sheriff's Office had ignored an agreement with the DA not to take action until today at the earliest. "It's unusual that there's already an arrest warrant and we haven't had a chance to look at all the reports," said Hurlbert, adding that normally the DA would file charges simultaneously. "But in sex-assault cases, it can take a while to get charges filed because these can be complex cases." Bryant's supporters reacted to the allegations with strong support for the all-star guard. "These allegations are completely out of character of the Kobe Bryant we know," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement released Sunday. "For the seven years he's been with us, he has been one of the finest young men we've known and a wonderful asset to both our team and our community. "However, since this is a legal matter being handled by the authorities in Colorado, we must refrain from further comment at this time." Bryant entered the NBA in 1996 straight out of high school in suburban Philadelphia. When he made his NBA debut at age 18, he was the youngest player to play in an NBA game. Bryant has won three NBA titles with the Lakers. He is a six-time all-star and was named most valuable player of the 2002 All-Star Game after scoring 31 points. Bryant married Vanessa Laine in April 2001. Laine was 19 at the time. The marriage caused a much-publicized rift between Bryant and his family, especially with his father, but they have now reportedly reconciled. The Bryants have a daughter, who was born in January this year. Felony sexual assault in Colorado carries a minimum sentence of one year in jail and one year of parole. Bryant is a member of the U.S. men's senior national basketball team that will be playing in an Olympic-qualifying tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in August. But an injury to his right shoulder is expected to keep him from playing. Bryant underwent shoulder surgery on June 12 in New York. The Lakers expect he'll be ready by the start of training camp in October. - Denver Post sports writer Marc J. Spears and freelancers David Williams and David Frey contributed to this report.
AP Eagle County authorities said there is enough evidence to bring felony sexual assault charges against Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant.