Dennis Schroeder © News L. Lin Wood, attorney for the woman who accused Kobe Bryant of raping her, hands out a statement by Kobe Bryant to reporters after the criminal case was dismissed with prejudice on Wednesday. Wood and fellow attorney John Clune worked out a deal in which Bryant issued a statement of apology despite the pending civil case against him.

High-profile lawyer negotiated dismissal of case for accuser

By Peggy Lowe, Rocky Mountain News
September 3, 2004

EAGLE - Just after 3 p.m., as reporters began streaming back into the Eagle County Justice Center on Wednesday, he appeared at the back entrance to the courthouse.

There was L. Lin Wood, big-time attorney of notorious clients, dressed down in a navy jacket, crisp white shirt, pleated jeans and glossy deep-brown cowboy boots.

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Tall, and with every silvery hair in place around his tanned face, Wood hovered at the back door, clearly negotiating a deal for his client, the 20-year-old woman who accused NBA star Kobe Bryant of rape.

Every so often, John Clune, the woman's local attorney, would confer with Wood, then return to the courtroom where prosecutors were holed up. Clune would then go back to Wood. They would talk quietly, then Clune would enter into the courtroom where Bryant's attorneys were huddled.

This courthouse hallway version of shuttle diplomacy went on until 5:25 p.m., when a hearing was announced and the deal was obviously sealed.

Finally, the man who had hung out at the back door was sitting in the front row of Courtroom 1, with his client's parents beside him. By 6:25 p.m., Chief District Judge Terry Ruckriegle had dismissed the charges against Bryant because prosecutors said the woman didn't want to continue with the case.

Wood left by way of the front door, personally handing out Bryant's prewritten statement to the dozens of waiting reporters. In just two months of representing the alleged victim, Wood had turned a tawdry rape case into a wronged woman's cause for justice. He turned her parents into victims' advocates and he even got an apology out of one of the NBA's top players - a man he's filed a civil suit against that could end up costing Bryant millions.

"All that shuttling back and forth had to do with the statement, not any financial action. Lawyers scrutinize every word of a statement," said Perry Binder, a legal studies professor at Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

It would be illegal to negotiate any civil settlement before the criminal case is wrapped up. But the civil case was on everyone's lips Wednesday, and Clune addressed it in his court statement saying, "We have not entertained one discussion about settlement of the civil case."

Wood and Clune, who met in Eagle on Thursday to decide their next step, didn't return phone calls seeking comment.

But the deal raised some eyebrows and some wondered just what was going on. Sources close to the case say some kind of deal was in the works for a few weeks, even though all sides continued to prepare for trial. In fact, as the lawyers held hushed caucuses in the courtrooms Wednesday afternoon, workers were wiring the courtroom for the ordered audio feed.

"Just looking at the developments, I was concluding this was all part of a package deal, nicely done," said Jeff Springer, a Denver lawyer.

"It's strange to me. Why would Kobe come out with this statement when the civil suit is being vigorously pursued? That doesn't make sense," he said. "If I were Kobe's lawyers, I would proclaim this as a major victory and say that he did nothing wrong."

Now all eyes will move from Eagle to Denver, where the civil case was filed in federal court. Although published reports have suggested the woman could get about $733,000, Springer said she could get millions.

A jury could award a total of $366,250 for emotional distress, then double that in noneconomic damages if her attorneys can prove "willful and wanton conduct." That takes the package up to $732,500.

Economic damages, determined if she can't work or if she needs future medication and therapy, aren't capped, either, Springer said. Then, if the claim can be proven "beyond a reasonable doubt," the total could be doubled again for punitive damages. There's also no cap on damages for physical disfigurement or psychiatric impairment, he said.

"It's a big damage case and obviously it's a bad publicity case as well for a defendant," Springer said.

If Wood's previous work is any indication, he likes to settle the cases before a trial.

Binder closely watched one of Wood's other high-profile cases, the successful libel settlements for Richard Jewell, the man accused of bombing the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Wood has also represented the parents of JonBenet Ramsey and California Congressman Gary Condit.

Binder said Wood is well-respected in Atlanta for a doing a good job for his high-profile clients.

"It would be contrary for her to testify at the civil trial," Binder said, because she refused to cooperate with the criminal case. "I truly believe there will be a conference settlement. It's in everyone's best interest."

Springer agrees, saying Bryant can't afford to be questioned in a public courtroom about one of the allegations in the civil suit, filed Aug. 9. The lawsuit alleges that Bryant has "a history of attempting to commit similar acts of violent sexual assault on females he has just met."

lowep@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5482

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