By The Associated Press
April 9, 2004

EAGLE, Colo. (AP) - Prosecutors accused Kobe Bryant's defense team Friday of raising "preposterous" issues and not truly wishing to set a trial date in the sexual assault case.

In a terse reply to a defense motion, prosecutor Mark Hurlbert reiterated his wish _ and that of the 19-year-old accuser _ to have Bryant enter a formal plea and move on to trial.

He also took issue with defense attorney Hal Haddon's claim that Bryant has always wanted an early trial date but has been slowed down by the prosecution's legal tactics.

"He says he has always wanted to move the case along, yet will wait so Fifth Judicial District policy can take its course," Hurlbert said. "We are, through no fault of the people, 10 months after the crime with no arraignment."

Hurlbert added: "It is the people's position that no party has been directly responsible for any delay in these proceedings and to try to assign blame is petty and unnecessary."

Bryant, 25, has said he had consensual sex with the woman last summer at the Vail-area resort where she worked. If convicted of felony sexual assault, he faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation.

Haddon said the defense would wait to enter a not guilty plea until most or all the pretrial hearings are completed. Those hearings are currently scheduled into mid-May.

The legal sniping in the case has gone on for months. Haddon has even challenged the prosecution's references to the woman as a "victim" and "girl," and questioned whether the case should get priority in court because of the "serious dispute" over whether a crime occurred.

Hurlbert called those arguments "preposterous," adding that everyone knows the term "victim" legally means "the person alleging to have been subjected to a criminal sexual assault."

The next hearings in the case are scheduled for April 26-28.

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