Eight lawyers tied to two high-profile cases

By Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News
July 7, 2004

Yet another name can be added to the list of characters involved in two of Colorado's most famous legal sagas, the murder of JonBenet Ramsey and the rape charge against Kobe Bryant.

Denver lawyer Patrick Burke, who represented Patsy Ramsey for several years after her daughter's 1996 murder, has been hired by the Los Angeles Lakers to advise the team on the progress of the Bryant court case.

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Burke's name brings to eight the number of people who have made at least cameo appearances in both the Ramsey and Bryant cases. His hiring by the Lakers occurred not long after Bryant's July 4, 2003, arrest, but was not publicly confirmed until Tuesday.

The other seven veterans of both cases are:

• Denver lawyer Hal Haddon. His firm represented John Ramsey, and Haddon is also a member of the Bryant defense team.

• Dr. Henry Lee. The renowned forensic scientist consulted with Boulder police and prosecutors in the Ramsey case, and he is also a prosecution expert witness for the Bryant trial.

• Detective Tom Bennett. The retired Arvada police investigator is now working for Boulder District Attorney Mary Keenan in her continuing Ramsey probe. He also assisted the Eagle County Sheriff's Department in the Bryant investigation.

• Metro-area District Attorneys Bill Ritter, Bob Grant, Dave Thomas and Keenan - from Denver, Adams, Jefferson and Boulder counties, respectively. Ritter, Grant and Thomas consulted with Boulder prosecutors in the Ramsey case, and Keenan was a top deputy in the Boulder office at that time, with some limited Ramsey involvement. Ritter and Keenan have consulted with Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert on Bryant, while Grant and Thomas have also done so, but to a lesser degree.

Lakers' spokesman John Black confirmed Tuesday that Burke was hired by the team last summer to keep Lakers management abreast of the legal situation involving their six-time NBA all star.

"We'll continue to have him working on this through the conclusion of the case," said Black.

Bryant looms as an increasingly major concern to his employers.

His trial on charges of sexual assault is due to start in Eagle County District Court Aug. 27. Should he be convicted of the class-three felony, he could face four years to life in prison.

Also, Bryant has opted out of his $13.5 million Laker contract, and Denver Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe flew to the Los Angeles area Monday night to meet with Bryant and make sure he knows Denver is among the teams coveting his services.

The Lakers have already parted ways with head coach Phil Jackson, who was not a Bryant favorite. Also, longtime team anchor Shaquille O'Neal, with whom Bryant has feuded, has requested a trade to another team.

More and more, the Lakers' future fortunes appear wedded to those of Bryant.

"The Lakers have had a huge investment in Kobe Bryant - and they are contemplating a further investment - so this is only prudent and proper on their part," said attorney Craig Silverman, a former Denver prosecutor.

Brennanc@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-2742

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