Woman takes stand to answer questions about sexual history

By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News
March 25, 2004

EAGLE - The 19-year-old Eagle woman who has alleged that Kobe Bryant raped her was composed Wednesday as she answered questions about her sexual history, according to two people who were inside the courtroom as she testified.

The woman - who faced Bryant for the first time since they were together in Room 35 at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in nearby Edwards on June 30 - did not cry or break down during her 3 ½ hours on the stand, the sources said.

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"She has remarkable strength and tremendous resolve," said Krista Flannigan, a spokeswoman for the prosecution, after the hearing.

Bryant's legal team hopes to show that injuries to the woman may have come from sex partners other than Bryant. The Los Angeles Lakers star has admitted he had sex with her, but insists it was consensual.

In the afternoon, five witnesses entered the courtroom, apparently to testify about the young woman's sexual past.

One witness was Mandy Ross, a one-time roommate of the woman at the University of Northern Colorado.

Another was Bobby Pietrack, a bellboy at Cordillera who may have been the first person the woman told about the alleged rape.

Two other young men were also called. One, wearing an untucked blue shirt and baggy black pants, put on sunglasses inside the courthouse hallway and smiled after he had finished testifying.

The final witness was Lindsey McKinney, another friend who once had lived with the woman.

After hearing another full day of testimony today, Eagle County District Judge Terry Ruckriegle will determine how much information about the alleged victim will be allowed to be presented at Bryant's trial.

Bryant entered the courthouse at 8:15 a.m. for the hearing, which was scheduled to start at 8:30.

At 8:40 a.m., the young woman's father and several relatives walked in. They were accompanied by her private attorney, John Clune, and Flannigan, the prosecution's spokeswoman.

At 8:42 a.m., a door with a small red sign marked "Fire Exit," located across from the courtroom, momentarily opened, then closed. The alleged victim was standing behind the door. She then walked through the door, eyes straight ahead, with a determined look.

She is tall, about 5-foot-10, with reddish blonde hair that reaches past her shoulders.

The young woman had to pass through a virtual gantlet of reporters. An Eagle woman who now works in television said "Hi," and stated the woman's first name.

The woman showed no reaction and after a few steps was inside Courtroom One.

CNN reporter Gary Tuchman said that as the courtroom doors briefly remained open, he saw her walk to the witness stand and look at Bryant. Her face was serious and businesslike, he said.

Tuchman said he wasn't sure whether Bryant returned the gaze.

After a 15-minute morning break, the woman talked with Clune as they re-entered the courtroom. She seemed more relaxed and smiled as Clune spoke.

The emotional and legal details of Wednesday's courtroom proceeding remained secret.

"I couldn't read anything into her expression," said Denver legal analyst Craig Silverman, who has been attending the proceedings.

Silverman speculated that questioning of the woman by Bryant's legal team would have started "soft and sensitive" and become "more belligerent" as the session wore on.

"This is an opportunity to see not only what type of witness she is, but what the best attorney approach is," Silverman said. "This is an audition for the alleged victim and the attorneys."

Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert would have attempted to prevent the woman from being torn down, Silverman said.

"They're playing defense in there," he said. "That's an odd role for the prosecution."

Kathie Kramer, spokeswoman for the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program, was at the courthouse Wednesday and was critical of allowing attorneys to examine the woman's sexual history.

"It doesn't matter if she's had consensual activities in the past," Kramer said. "What matters is what happened June 30."

Today's 8 a.m. hearing is expected to remain closed. One source said six witnesses are expected.

Courts spokeswoman Karen Salaz said testimony will continue regarding the woman's sexual history and move on to whether statements Bryant made to investigators after the encounter would be admissible at trial.

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