I thought this was a good article on the Kobe sit-u-a-shun:

By Paula McGee

ADULTERY.
Even before anyone said it, that word was in my head. I remember waiting anxiously in front of the television last month for that very first Kobe press conference, trying to figure out if Colorado was "Central Time" or "Pacific Time." The word hadn't been uttered yet, and I felt a pang of guilt for pre-judging him, but for some reason I couldn't escape the voice that was telling me Kobe Bryant committed ADULTERY. Our hero, our superstar, our shining black prince committed adultery. He slept with, had sexual relations with, penetrated, or shared his body fluids with some woman other than his wife. Still, I had to watch the press conference, had to make sure that I saw for myself.

As I waited, I was wrestling with a range of emotions. I knew that I was way too invested in this story. First off, I was angry at this 19-year-old, white woman who I imagined showing up at the hotel room of a rich, handsome, powerful, charismatic black man and offering herself. I was also angry, in a womanly, feminist way, at yet another man that couldn't hear "NO!" If the allegations were true, then Kobe was just another powerful male celebrity who saw women as trinkets — one more deal, something else to be owned.

I also couldn't help thinking about this story as a professional athlete, a business woman and an agent. It's hard for me to forget that Kobe Bryant, Inc. is worth $40 million dollars just on the strength of his recent Nike shoe deal, but I had to ask myself: how could he forget? Doesn't Kobe know that just being a rich, powerful Black man alone in a hotel room with a White woman (a waitress at that!) is a bad business decision — forget about actually touching. I wondered about this the same way I wondered about Bill Clinton thought process. What intimate interaction is worth risking your place in history or $40 million dollars? Come on Kobe, I said to myself. By now you have to know how this game is played. You have lived in this world of sex, money and fame that is professional athletics both in the United and abroad for years, and before that you watched your father and countless other black men. You know the game. Or do you?

And then the press conference started. My marketer's eye took in Kobe first. He is wearing casual clothes. Not the usual power suit, like the one he wore on the cover of GQ. Good move. He needs to look like a regular guy and not a rich superstar. His beautiful wife Vanessa is with him. Her story is written on her face: just a few years out of high school, she ended her modeling career to become "Mrs. Kobe Bryant." I feel sorry for her: if Hilary Clinton wasn't ready for this type of nightmare, she is definitely not prepared. Still, she is with him on screen, holding his hand and lovingly gazing at him as he fights back tears and declares his undying love for her. That's when he says it to the whole world: I'm not a rapist, I'm an adulterer.

Adultery is usually defined as "sexual unfaithfulness of a married person." It's one of the Ten Commandments, one of the "Thou Shalt Nots," and it is a sin not just against a spouse but against God. I understand the sin as a minister, but I am also like most people in that I also feel like Kobe (or somebody) has committed against me. I don't know any of the three people involved, but I feel like somebody lied to me, lied to Paula. I feel betrayed. Regardless of what I know about professional athletics and marketing, I still want to believe in heroes just like everyone else does. We all want to believe in Kobe, want him to be our Prince Charming. And he really is charming, a beautiful black man with wonderful presence. He makes you proud when he walks in the room. This is the clean-cut young man who is fluent in Italian, who entered the NBA right out of high school, who told us to "Obey our Thirst" and who was so sweet with the little kid in the McDonald's commercial. The Kobe who won all those championships. Did Kobe, Nike, the media, and the marketing companies betray our trust? Did they lie to us? Were they unfaithful?

We may never know what happened in that hotel room. Only two people and God will ever really know. I don't know if what happened in that room was rape or adultery, but as a minister, I am called to believe in the possibility of forgiveness and redemption. If Vanessa can forgive Kobe for adultery, then so can I. I can also forgive him for not being faithful to my unreal, media-driven expectations.

I also believe in justice, and so I think of this woman whose life will never be the same. I pray for her, because if she was raped, no amount of money or prison time for her rapist will replace what she has lost. And if she is looking for fame and fortune then we should really pray for her. Because she clearly has no idea what she has gotten herself into.

When I recall my eagerness to catch that press conference, I think the best thing that each of us can do is to turn off the television and not read the newspaper. Maybe we should just pray. Pray that God will forgive us for forgetting the humanity of both Kobe and this woman. Pray that God will forgive us for having unreal expectations of a 24-year-old man trying to negotiate life with the whole world watching. And most of all, pray that God please forgive us our insatiable appetite for drama and sensationalism. We are the ones who aren't giving this tragedy's participants the time and space to grieve, to suffer, to be angry, to seek justice, and to heal, and at the end of the day, that is a sin just like any other.


First published: August 18, 2003

About the Author

Paula McGee is preacher, lecturer and motivational speaker. A native of Flint, Michigan, she and her twin sister Pam won two back-to-back women’s basketball National Championships in 1983 and 1984 for USC with Cheryl Miller. Upon graduation, Paula embarked upon a professional career, but after playing five seasons in Italy and Spain she ended her basketball career to pursue her life's calling to preach. She earned a Master of Divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Master of Arts in Religion from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

It is from africana.com

Judge Set to Unseal Bryant Arrest Warrant
Thu Aug 21, 8:55 PM ET

By COLLEEN SLEVIN, Associated Press Writer

EAGLE, Colo. - A judge on Thursday rejected the media's request to see detailed court records in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, agreeing to unseal only the arrest warrant.


Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett said the search warrant, the affidavit and other material will remain sealed until the case is decided. He put his order on hold and gave attorneys 10 days to appeal.


Media organizations reacted angrily and said the decision shortchanges the public.


Without the documents, the public has no way of knowing whether the sheriff's office and other agencies acted properly in arresting Bryant, said Chris Beall, an attorney for the media organizations.


"What the judge is saying is that in those documents were statements that have little relevance and are unnecessarily prejudicial and inflammatory," Beall said. "I think the voters in Eagle County would like to know whether Sheriff (Joseph) Hoy's office engaged in improper conduct."


Krista Flannigan, spokeswoman for District Attorney Mark Hurlbert, said she could not comment on the specifics of the ruling. A spokeswoman for Hoy did not immediately return a message.


Court documents in the high-profile case have been sealed since the Los Angeles Lakers (news) star was arrested last month. Media organizations sought their release over the objections of prosecutors and defense attorneys.


The arrest warrant and related materials contain nothing that would endanger Bryant's right to a fair trial and should be released, Gannett said. But other documents — including the search warrant and its affidavit — will remain sealed.


Gannett said those records contain "factual statements describing graphic details of the alleged sexual encounter," medical test results, evidence that can be challenged in court and the statements of potential witnesses.


"The court concludes that there is a substantial probability that the defendant's right to a fair trial would be prejudiced by disclosure of the affidavit and search warrant materials and that such prejudice could be prevented by non-disclosure," Gannett wrote.


He also said releasing the information would subject the accuser to "further intimidation, harassment and abuse." The ruling did not detail what the woman has gone through, though an Iowa man was charged with making a death threat against her.


Bryant has said his 19-year-old accuser had consensual sex with him June 30 at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, where she worked and he was a guest. Free on $25,000 bond, Bryant is scheduled to return to Eagle for an Oct. 9 preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence for a trial on a charge of felony sexual assault.


The media organizations that sought the release of the documents included NBC, CNN, The Denver Post, the Los Angeles Times and the Vail Daily newspaper.


In his decision, Gannett said releasing court documents with details blacked out, or redacted, wasn't an option because the prejudicial material was too intertwined with other information.


Gannett has threatened to bar from his courtroom news organizations that identify Bryant's accuser. He did allow cameras in the courtroom for Bryant's initial court appearance Aug. 6, over the objections of defense attorneys.


Meanwhile, a 22-year-old Iowa man was arrested Thursday and charged with threatening to kill Bryant's accuser. :eek:


John Roche of Iowa City left a profanity-laced message on the answering machine of the accuser in Eagle on July 27, according to a federal grand jury indictment. The caller threatened to assault the woman with a coat hanger and repeatedly said he would kill her. :( :eek:


Jeff Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver, confirmed Bryant's accuser was the target but declined further comment.

Roche is charged with making a threatening telephone call across state lines. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

To all you "famous athletes" out there...
 

I would like to suggest a solution to the "he did rape me" - "no I didn't" series.

To all you guys who are ballers, etc. next time you are going to sleep with someone, have them sign a CONTRACT/AGREEMENT that states something like:

"I, so and so, am agreeing to having mutual sex with [fill in your full name here]. I understand that by signing this agreement, I cannot hold you accountable for, etc. etc."

Then add all the disclaimers, indemnifications, warranties, guarantees, etc.

Once she has signed the paper, fax it to 3 different places for safekeeping.

Advantage: This way, you help prevent future issues with females.
Disadvantage: If you plan on "cheating" on your girlfriend or wife, you have a paper trail of proof.

So, if you do not have the girl sign the paper, you risk the chance of being on TV and have all the drama that comes along with an alleged rape. What you "should" do, is find yourself ONE female and stick with her (I know it's difficult, but you CAN do it). You will be amazed how much you decrease your chances of being accused of rape. Good Luck!

Just wanted to share an idea.

Re: To all you "famous athletes" out there...
 

I'm not trying to be funny, but do you think that a woman would sign a contract like that under any circumstances. And she could still say "after I signed the contract, I wanted to stop at some point and he wouldn't."

I'd feel alot safer video taping all my activities. Hell, it might get on the net, but at least everyone would be able to see for themselves what's up.

Haha...well, I WAS trying to be funny....actually very "sarcastic." LOL @ it would be on the net. In all honesty, yes, I do believe some females would sign a piece of paper. There are some pretty dumb ones out there. LOL!

Yeah, good idea about the taping, but that wouldn't work very well, if the guy plans on cheating, haha. If she signs the paper, she's agreeing that she's taking the risk with ANYTHING that might happen and not make the guy liable for anything that happens. So if she doesn't want that or does not agree, then she should not sleep with the guy. That's just what I think.

Both parties in my opinion are very stupid. I don't want to say all, but a good majority do their thing for the wrong reasons, so whatever comes out of it, they earned it. That would make them realize their choices for the future.

I am tired of hearing the same stories over and over again (I've heard a ton in college). The girl said the guy raped her or hit her, etc. The guy said he didn't, etc. blah blah blah. Both are stupid. The guy should know that the girl just wants his fame, fortune, whatever, and the girl should know he doesn't want to make her his "wife" and will keep her forever, whatever. It's the same story with different people. If the guys would open their eyes a bit, they would avoid getting themselves in this situation in the first place. But see...they are thinking with the wrong brain. LOL!

Bro: diesel weighs in
 

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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...,2132580.story a d v e r t i s e m e n t



O'Neal Hoping for Quick End to Bryant Case
Laker center says ideal resolution would be 'pain-free on both sides,' but avoids further comment on sexual-assault charge against teammate.
From Associated Press

August 24, 2003

Shaquille O'Neal hopes the sexual assault case against Kobe Bryant doesn't drag on.

"It's an unfortunate situation. Kobe's a teammate of mine and a friend of mine," said O'Neal, who previously had been quiet during an eventful summer for the Lakers. He made the comments Saturday while working with youngsters at a basketball camp at an athletic club in West Los Angeles.

"I'm very confident in the judicial system," he added, "so hopefully this will be resolved quickly. And hopefully it will be pain-free on both sides."

He added, "I've been instructed not to say anything about it."

Bryant is accused of committing sexual assault at a Colorado resort hotel on June 30.

Bryant, who turned 25 on Saturday, is free on $25,000 bond.

He is scheduled to return to Eagle, Colo., for an Oct. 9 preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence for a trial.

The Laker guard has claimed his 19-year-old accuser had consensual sex with him.

O'Neal did talk enthusiastically about the Lakers' signing of NBA veterans Karl Malone and Gary Payton.

"I'm very happy, because for the first time in my career, I finally have the dream team I've always wanted, the dream team that I've always been after," he said. "A hard-nosed point guard, a legendary power forward. That's all I ever wanted.

"As long as we keep the ball moving, we're going to be a legendary hard-to-stop team. We have four future Hall of Famers."

After the team's string of three consecutive NBA titles ended in May with a Western Conference semifinals loss to eventual champion San Antonio, O'Neal said that he and Bryant needed a stronger supporting cast.

So the Lakers lured two of the best players in the game. Malone and Payton took big pay cuts to join the Lakers. Neither of the two has an NBA championship ring.

"I think this will be the first time in my career when I don't have to score 30 points every night," O'Neal said.

"After all the years of, 'Shaq, you've got to score 30 points for us to even be in the game,' now we've got a lot of legends on our team.

"Karl Malone said it best: 'Pick your poison on any given night.' "

O'Neal, looking relaxed and joking with the kids, said he feels more ready to go back to work this season than he has in recent years.

"This is actually the first summer in a long time when I've had time to rest and recuperate," he said.

"The other years, it would get down to the nitty-gritty [in the playoffs] and I would have to take a month off just to get my body right.

"By then it's already August, and you have to come back in September and I've never really had time to get back in shape. Then there was the surgery."

He had toe surgery Sept. 11 and wasn't as dominant when he began playing 13 games into the season.

O'Neal said his feet, which have bothered him for several years, are "OK."

"I'm not pain-free, but I still can do what I do. And now I won't have to do it all. Anyway, everyone knows that after a loss, the beast is coming back," he said with a grin.

O'Neal seemed at home with the youngsters, ranging in age from 12 to 18 and coming from all over the country.

"I'm not a role model, I'm a real model," he said.

"I don't do stuff for the cameras. A lot of the stuff I do, the media doesn't know about. These kids have people they want to be like, and they sit in their little hometowns and dream about things.

"If I can make somebody's dream come true, I'm all for it. I want to be one of the athletes that can help shape the direction of some of these young people."

Bryant 'Terrified' Ahead of Assault Case
Sun Oct 5,11:10 AM ET Add Sports - AP to My Yahoo!


By BERNIE WILSON, AP Sports Writer

HONOLULU - Kobe Bryant (news) returned to the basketball court Saturday, admittedly out of shape and scared about what lies ahead for his family as his rape case proceeds.


After participating in a few drills with his Los Angeles Lakers (news) teammates at training camp, the superstar guard said he considered not playing until his case is settled.


"Basketball to me just took a back seat, man," Bryant said in his first public comments since July 18, the day he was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Eagle, Colo.


Surrounded by a throng of media in a steamy gym at the University of Hawaii, Bryant decided about a month ago that he would play, a decision supported by his wife, Vanessa.


"You know, I have a job to do," Bryant said, dressed in a gold practice jersey and purple shorts, with a towel around his neck.


"This is my job, coming back to work," he said. "My family and I, we've been dealing with this for a while now and we're going to continue to deal with it. I'm coming back to work and do what I do."


Bryant is accused of raping a woman June 30 in his suite at a mountain resort where she worked. He has said the two had consensual sex. Free on $25,000 bond, Bryant is scheduled to appear Thursday in Eagle for a preliminary hearing to determine whether he will stand trial.


Bryant smiled occasionally as he spoke Saturday, although he mostly appeared serious.


Asked if he was scared about the case, he replied: "Terrified."


"Not so much for myself, but just for what my family is going through," Bryant said. "They had nothing to do with this, but just because their names have been dragged in the mud I'm scared for them."


Did Bryant feel more comfortable walking back into a gym?


"No," he replied. "You know what? You can't imagine what it's like going through what I've gone through, still going through. I come out here to play, and this is my job, and I'm going to come out here and do it well."


Bryant said his family was the main reason he considered sitting out.


"I just wanted to spend as much time as I can with my family," Bryant said. "You go through something like this, you realize how important your family is, seeing my daughter grow up and being at home. Basketball to me is just a distant second."


Bryant reported to training camp a day late, telling the team through his agent that he was "under the weather." He refused to be more specific Saturday.


Bryant was asked if his experience with on-court pressure would help him deal with his off-court problems.


"In this environment, this world, people think a seventh game is pressure," he said, laughing. "Are you kidding me?

"Playing the game of basketball is not difficult for me. Going through what we've been going through is difficult."

During the offseason, Bryant underwent surgery on his right shoulder and had minor knee surgery the day after he is charged with committing the sexual assault.

He said stress affected him to the point where he couldn't train.

"I've got work to do," said Bryant, who spent part of Saturday's practice riding a stationary bike.

Bryant doesn't plan to speak with his teammates about his case.

"Why?" he said. "I could put it into words a million times, they'll never understand, they'll never get it. It doesn't matter. We'll come here, we'll work together as a team and we'll play the game.

"We're living through this," he said, referring to his family. "Everybody else is just watching."

What has his life been like?

"Like a roller coaster," he said. "You have your good days, you have your bad days. At home, you have your worst days, then other days are great. Sometimes it doesn't seem like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. You pray, you have faith. The next thing you know, the light is brighter than ever."

Bryant also said his life has "been pretty crazy. My wife and I go out on a date and everybody overanalyzes it."

Bryant was asked about what happened in Colorado.

"Are you serious?" Bryant said, before walking away.

Bryant arrived in Honolulu late Friday night, and coach Phil Jackson hadn't had a chance to sit down with him for a one-on-one talk.

"This gym is not appropriate," Jackson said. "It's too noisy. We'll wait until we have a space which is appropriate for it."

I read this in the paper yesterday, and you know what...his dumb azz should be.

Basically.

Oh and this morning, Russ Parrnem reported that he bought Vanessa's mother a $4million mansion less than 100 yards from their home.

One of my friends told me about that this morning that lives in VA, but I thought it was a joke because Vanessa's mom is so young, and Kobe could hit on her too....so you are saying this is true. Ok, I'm really lost on why he is buying her and the fam so much. Again I say, it's not like Vanessa every entertained the thought of leaving him.

LOL, he is hoping the house will help jog his mother-in-law's memory if she is asked to be a character witness. :D Not to mention Vanessa's mother has probably told her daughter to leave him and run with 50%.

Phil Jackson Contemplates Asking Jordan to Play
 

Tuesday, October 7, 2003


ESPN.com news services
Michael Jordan playing for the Lakers? The thought has occurred to Phil Jackson.

Jackson, the Lakers coach and Jordan's former coach in Chicago, intimated in a published report that he has reluctantly considered a scenario in which Jordan would play for him if Kobe Bryant is unable to.

"It has crossed my mind," Jackson told the Chicago Tribune for Tuesday's editions. "But I don't think I'd ask Michael that question until it became absolutely necessary or it became a reality. It's just speculation."

Jordan, 40, has not dropped hints that he'll play again.

Jordan retired after last season as a Washington Wizard, missing the playoffs for a second straight season. He butted heads with teammates and ownership and, ultimately, was fired when he tried to return to his front-office position with the franchise.

Bryant has a scheduled court appearance in Eagle, Colo., on Thursday, when it will be determined in a preliminary hearing whether he will stand trial for felony sexual assault. A trial date has not been set, and it is possible that a trial could come during the NBA's regular season or during the playoffs.

The thinking is Jackson wants Bryant to be able to straighten out his personal life and get back to being the 25-year-old star player he's known to be on the court. Bryant has acknowledged that he considered not playing this season, a revelation that may have gotten Jackson thinking about short-term roster alternatives.

Bryant has denied raping his 19-year-old accuser, contending he was guilty only of adultery for having consensual sex with the woman.

Meanwhile, Bryant is continuing to build strength after having offseason shoulder and knee surgery. At 205, he's 15 pounds lighter than he was a year ago. Jackson said Monday that Bryant probably will not play until the Lakers' Oct. 14 preseason game against Phoenix in San Diego.

"I can pretty much do everything except explode. My leg is weak at some spots," Bryant said in Honolulu, where the Lakers hold training camp.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Something to think about
 

Within the Newsweek article on Kobe, I thought that Kevin Powell (from the first Real World) had some marvelous points on how black males are raised.

Race was also a key ingredient in this family brew. “It’s the classic story that happens in black families,” says Kevin Powell, author of a new book, “Who’s Going to Take the Weight? Manhood, Race and Power in America.” “It’s a classic story that happens in black families, where the mother raises the daughters and spoils the sons. The community tends to be very protective of young black men because of what they often face in the world. That can sometimes backfire.” Powell maintains that Kobe’s youth in Italy did nothing to prepare him for the realities of growing up in America, particularly as a black man. “I really don’t think his parents understood what having him grow up there in his formative years did to his ability to communicate with others, particularly African-Americans. It emotionally stunted him.”

That's an interesting indictment, IMO. It's also something that could apply to black children who are raised in deep suburbia, similar to places like Orange County.

Re: Something to think about
 

JORDAN SAYS 100% NO
 

Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Updated: October 8, 4:12 AM ET


ESPN.com news services
Michael Jordan playing for the Lakers? The thought has occurred to Phil Jackson. But it hasn't occurred to MJ, who said his answer would be no.

Jackson, the Lakers coach and Jordan's former coach in Chicago, intimated in a published report that he has reluctantly considered a scenario in which Jordan would play for him if Kobe Bryant is unable to.

"It has crossed my mind," Jackson told the Chicago Tribune for Tuesday's editions. "But I don't think I'd ask Michael that question until it became absolutely necessary or it became a reality. It's just speculation."

Jordan, 40, has not dropped hints that he'll play again.

In fact, his response -- issued through a spokeswoman -- was short, to the point and unequivocal: "100 percent no."

Jordan retired after last season as a Washington Wizard, missing the playoffs for a second straight season. He butted heads with teammates and ownership and, ultimately, was fired when he tried to return to his front-office position with the franchise.

Bryant has a scheduled court appearance in Eagle, Colo., on Thursday, when it will be determined in a preliminary hearing whether he will stand trial for felony sexual assault. A trial date has not been set, and it is possible that a trial could come during the NBA's regular season or during the playoffs.

The thinking is Jackson wants Bryant to be able to straighten out his personal life and get back to being the 25-year-old star player he's known to be on the court. Bryant has acknowledged that he considered not playing this season, a revelation that may have gotten Jackson thinking about short-term roster alternatives.

Bryant has denied raping his 19-year-old accuser, contending he was guilty only of adultery for having consensual sex with the woman.

Meanwhile, Bryant is continuing to build strength after having offseason shoulder and knee surgery. At 205, he's 15 pounds lighter than he was a year ago. Jackson said Monday that Bryant probably will not play until the Lakers' Oct. 14 preseason game against Phoenix in San Diego.

"I can pretty much do everything except explode. My leg is weak at some spots," Bryant said in Honolulu, where the Lakers hold training camp.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Kobe's Tattoo, from SlamOnline.com
 

INKED OUT: KB8
Kobe's tattoo has finally been explained, as well as a lot more. Here's a pic of the tattoo:



Kobe looks as disturbed by it as all of us were. Good to see that Ray Charles was available to ink him out. Were those the tats Iverson had lasered off? He'll get laughed out of prison with that thing!

Breaking down the tattoo, Kobe says the crown with angel wings is for Vanessa. "That's my wife, my angel. That's a crown, and butterflies. Her name actually means butterfly."

Now, going deeper, this week's Newsweek has a Kobe cover story that's incredibly interesting and entertaining, with stuff from ex-girlfriends and rumors about what really happened that night in Colorado. Kobe has already come out and denied part of the story, though, saying that he never saw a lawyer about getting a divorce.

http://www.slamonline.com/links/krazykobe.jpg

That tattoo is hideous!!! If I were Vanessa, I would be offended.

Why does Kobe Bryant think that tattoos and expensive gifts are a way of showing how sorry he is for his infidelity?:confused: If you want to impress me or prove a point to yourself or your wife, DON’T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!

Some things should just NEVA ____________ HAPPEN!!! :mad:

But should it happen, I will take a lesson from the sista in Addis Abba. :)

oh my....
 

ummmm.....let me think.....this tatoo is downright U.G.L.Y.!!!

The more I hear about Kobe and his lavish gifts and stupid comments, the more I think this brotha is a nut. The tatoo makes no sense...I see the crown with the ugly butterflies on top...I see her name but what is that sh*t on the bottom of it??? :confused: :o :eek: Please somebody school me. heehee

And I HOPE Vanessa doesn't decide to leave his ass....then that tat would REALLY look stupid.

Yall gotta remember this boy is under extreme mental pressure. If he loses, he gets thrown in cage ....for decades.

I know it's all of his own making, but under the pressure he's facing, I'm sure we'd do some stupid things as well.

but the tat is ugly as h*ll.

I agree Kobe is under a great deal of pressure right about now, and he is scared S ugar H oney I ce T ealess, but some of the things that he is doing is crazy.....ie the ugly tat. I read the article in News Week and it is very interesting to say teh least.

I don't know if he will be able to play. He isn't handling this very well, and this is just the beginning. This will get really intense later.

Also, Kevin Powell is right on...as always. Loved his Rrr article in Essence a while back.

What did Kevin say in Essence?? I like Kevin - always telling it like it is. :)

ok, i'm ultra slow. i checked out kobe's tat and am confused. is that supposed to be a picture of his wife's hair? i don't see a face or maybe there is a face and i didn't notice. the only thing i understood (i think) about the tat is his wife's name. someone please decipher it for me...

Yeah...but I've been under worse stress than he is currently going through before, and my azz DID NOT go out and get a hideous-looking tat like that...

Wopuld you have gotten that ugly thang on your arm if you were going through this? I highly doubt it...Kobe's definately cracking under the pressure.

Please excuse me, I am magazine junkie, but I believe it was the recent Essence that featured Mary J. on the cover (a few months ago). Anywho...he stated that we should hold Robert responsible because he is an adult and not demonize the girls. Also, he stated the the Black community SHOULD NOT just support people because they are Black. If you are wrong, dangit, you wrong.

BTW:::I saw Aaron McGruder today! I love that man!!!

Shocking, Graphic Testimony at Hearing
By TIM DAHLBERG, The Associated Press

EAGLE, Colo. (Oct. 9) - The woman who accused Kobe Bryant of rape told police a flirtatious encounter quickly turned ugly when he grabbed her by the neck, bent her over a chair and attacked her, repeatedly asking, "You're not going to tell anybody about this, right?''



The 19-year-old woman was raped after agreeing to go to Bryant's suite at the resort where she worked, Eagle County Sheriff's Detective Doug Winters testified Thursday at a preliminary hearing to determine whether Bryant will stand trial.

Winters described in graphic detail for a packed courtroom how, according to the woman, an exciting, chance meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar led to a nightmarish assault that left her shaken and in tears.

She said she told Bryant "no'' at least twice and he ignored her, pulling her dress up and her underwear down and raping her from behind.

At one point, the woman told police, Bryant forced her to face him and say "no'' when he asked if she was going to tell anyone. After the attack, Bryant made her kiss his penis, Winters said the woman told investigators.

Bryant, 25, has insisted the sex was consensual. He sat at the defense table staring straight at Winters for much of the hearing, hands folded in front of him. Bryant occasionally clenched his jaw, but showed little other reaction.

Though the testimony was graphic, the most explosive statement came from Bryant's own defense attorney when she suggested under cross examination that the woman's injuries would also be "consistent with a person who has had sex with three different men in three days.''

That led an angry Judge Frederick Gannett to empty the courtroom and summon the lawyers to his chambers. Gannett was also upset earlier when defense attorney Pamela Mackey said the woman's name six times when asking questions.

She apologized, saying she would write herself a big note not to say it.

"Or I could get you a big muzzle,'' Gannett said.

The hearing - expected to last only an afternoon - was finally adjourned after more than six hours, an indication the trial could be long and laborious for both sides. Gannett said it would continue next Wednesday, and the district attorney's office said Bryant had to appear.

Winters, the only witness of the afternoon, recounted what the woman told him in an hourlong interview the day after she met Bryant at the resort. It all began with a tour of the hotel on June 30 that led to some flirting. She went back to Bryant's room and showed him a tattoo on her ankle, then turned down his request to join him in the hot tub, Winters said.

Her shift at the front desk was ending and she wanted to go home, he said, and "she was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.''

Winters said she stood up to leave and Bryant gave her a hug that led to some consensual kissing, Winters said.

But when she turned to go, Bryant grabbed her by the neck, pulled up her black dress and raped her against a chair, Winters said. She told investigators she said "no'' at least twice, before bursting into tears as the five-minute attack went on.

Bryant wasn't holding her neck so tight she couldn't breathe, Winters said, but enough to control her movement.

"She was afraid that he was going to choke her,'' he said.

Afterward, Bryant told the woman to clean up, Winters said. She fixed her hair, wiped her face and left after again promising to remain silent.

She went back to the front desk to finish up her work and finally left the resort with an unidentified bellman, Winters said. She told him what happened and he urged her to report it, later following her home.

Winters testified that the woman's blood was found on the inside of Bryant's T-shirt, based on DNA tests. The woman told him she had bleeding from the attack, he said.

The prosecution also presented photographs showing vaginal injuries and one of a bruise on the woman's jaw, and a rape nurse's statement that her injuries were not consistent with consensual sex.

Mackey, though, suggested Winters had no idea when the bruise occurred, and got him to acknowledge that the woman needed no treatment for injuries when she was examined. She also questioned him on whether he saw marks on her neck when he interviewed her the next day.

"She talks on how Mr. Kobe Bryant grabbed her neck and choked her,'' Mackey told Winters. "You looked at her neck to see?''

Winters said he had, then Mackey asked him if he saw any injuries on her neck.

"Not from the front, no,'' he said.

"Not a red mark?'' she asked.

"That's correct,'' he said.

"Not a scratch?''

"That's correct.''

Winters said the woman seemed serious when he first interviewed her with her parents at their Eagle home.


"I sensed a crackle in her voice,'' he said. ``She stated that he raped her.''

Bryant faces up to life in prison if convicted of a felony charge of sexual assault. The judge said he would not rule Thursday on whether to proceed to trial.

Legal experts had expected the defense to waive the hearing and head straight to trial rather than allow prosecutors to lay out their case for the first time - evidence that will be discussed in public for months.

Gannett had rejected defense requests to have the woman testify and to see her medical records.

The hearing began as hundreds of reporters and a handful of spectators gathered outside the courthouse to catch a glimpse of Bryant as he arrived with his lawyers in a caravan of three SUVs. He said nothing to the crowd.

Bryant had to take off a necklace and was checked with metal detectors before walking into the courtroom.

Bryant, free on $25,000 bond, had been ordered to appear in court for a bond hearing even if the preliminary hearing was waived. He left the Hawaii training camp of the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

Bryant has the right to go to trial within six months of entering a plea, but he could agree to push that back until later, perhaps after the NBA season ends early next summer. 10/09/03 23:04 EDT

I wonder what the GC lawyers think...
 

Interesting strategy to proceed with this hearing. My guess is their goal is to get the "bad stuff" out in the public domain early, hopefully negating any shock value as they get closer to trial.

...I still say if KB can't get this trial moved out of Eagle, Colo., he's in bad shape.

Excellent point about should not supporting people just because they're black. Not only Rra Kelly, but I can put out a lot of people there, but I won't because I'm a peaceful sort and don't want a flame war.;)

Thanks Abaici. :) Kevin, as usual, was right on target with this one.

OMG!

I need NOT ever run into that man because I might be too stalkerish for comfort, lol. I LOVE his comic.

Love.
Love.
Love.

I am soooooo jealous!

Re: Kobe's Tattoo, from SlamOnline.com
 

All I can say about that tatoo and him is..............:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: . Kinda late for all that now..........

Every time I see the pic of that tat I start humming the "Homie the Clown" song, lol.

I want Damon Wayans to come up and hit that eedjit upside his head!

okay, i never felt obligated to know the whole kobe case but EVERY-SINGLE-TIME i read an article, the story changes!!! dammit, NOW i DESERVE to know the truth!!!!!!!!

Kobe will go to trial
 

Judge Orders Rape Trial for Kobe Bryant
1 hour, 33 minutes ago

By JON SARCHE, Associated Press Writer

EAGLE, Colo. - NBA star Kobe Bryant must stand trial on a charge of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old resort worker, a judge ruled Monday, clearing the way for a celebrity trial the likes of which hasn't been seen since O.J. Simpson.


AP Photo


AFP
Slideshow: Kobe Bryant




Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett chided prosecutors for presenting "a minimal amount of evidence," but said it was enough to order the trial.


The Los Angeles Lakers (news) guard could face a life sentence if convicted. His next appearance, in district court, is set for Nov. 10.


Bryant, 25, has said the sex was consensual. His attorneys suggested the woman's injuries came during sex with other men in the days before her June 30 encounter with Bryant at a posh resort in nearby Edwards.


The defense can appeal Gannett's ruling, but such appeals are rare, legal experts said.


At Bryant's first appearance in state district court he will be advised of his rights, the charge and the possible penalties. He could enter a plea during that hearing.


Unless Bryant waives his right to a speedy trial, the trial would be scheduled within six months of his plea.


Prosecutors in Colorado almost always succeed in persuading a judge to order a trial after a preliminary hearing because the standard of proof required is relatively low. Allegations are usually enough to advance the case to a higher court for trial, where the standard of proof is much higher.


Gannett said that although prosecutors presented "a minimal amount of evidence," what they did show suggested "submission and force." The evidence included photographs of the woman's injuries, as well as blood on her underwear and on Bryant's T-shirt.


District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said he was "pleased" by the decision, "although we had confidence all along in the case."


Bryant's attorneys issued a statement saying that although they knew their chances of getting a dismissal had been slim, "the prosecution's case simply had to be tested."


"The standard at trial is a far higher burden: proof beyond a reasonable doubt. When this case is tested by that standard, Kobe Bryant will be found innocent," Pamela Mackey and co-counsel Hal Haddon said in a written statement.


At the Lakers' El Segundo, Calif., practice facility, Bryant was asked before the ruling how much anxiety he was feeling. "Basketball, zero anxiety. Other stuff, a little anxiety," he said.


"But now I just pretty much, you know, give it up. I've pretty much done all I can. Now I'll let God carry me the rest of the way. I feel comfortable with that," he said.


John Clune, the lawyer representing Bryant's accuser, declined comment.


Gannett's comments on the evidence indicate he had questions about the prosecution's case, legal analysts said.


Judges normally don't issue written rulings after preliminary hearings, and the fact that Gannett wrote his suggests the case is fraught with difficulties, said Scott Robinson, a Denver defense attorney.





"The reality is that unless there is significantly more substantial evidence available at trial, and a suitable explanation for some of the puzzling physical evidence which surfaced last week, a conviction looks like a completely unlikely scenario," Robinson said.

Bryant's preliminary hearing lasted nearly two days and included graphic testimony about an encounter prosecutors say turned violent after flirting by both Bryant and his accuser.

Sheriff's Detective Doug Winters testified the woman went to Bryant's room at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera shortly after checking in him and his two bodyguards.

The two chatted and began kissing. But a few minutes later, Bryant grabbed the woman by the throat, bent her over a chair and raped her, asking her several times not to tell anybody, Winters testified.

She told Bryant "no" at least twice, and he stopped only after she pulled his hand off her neck, Winters said.

The woman was left with vaginal tears consistent with assault and her blood was found on Bryant's shirt, Winters said.

But he acknowledged under cross-examination by Mackey that the woman had sex with another man shortly before her encounter with Bryant. She also didn't tell Winters initially that she had said "no."

The defense argued that semen and pubic hair found in the woman's underwear that weren't from Bryant prove he is innocent of rape — an argument ridiculed by prosecutor Greg Crittenden. He said the evidence of rape was "uncontradicted."

A trial could attract the kind of attention that surrounded Simpson's 1995 case, when he was acquitted of killing ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman after a nationally televised trial. A civil jury later found him liable.

At Bryant's trial, any discussion of the woman's sexual history could be limited by Colorado's rape shield law, unless Bryant's attorneys successfully argue the evidence fits into one of the few exceptions.

Prosecutors, however, must convince a jury that a woman flattered by Bryant's attention had no intention of having sex with him as they kissed. Winters acknowledged she told him she expected Bryant to "put a move" on her when she accepted the invitation to his room.

Hurlbert has said he held back some evidence, knowing a preliminary hearing requires a judge to look at the evidence in a way that is most favorable to prosecutors.

I was kind of :eek: when I heard this.

Selfish Kobe should just go away
By Mike Greenberg
Special to Page 2


Is it me, or has Kobe Bryant completely lost his mind?


At this point, the damage he is doing to his image is so great that no lawyer will be able to defend him in the court of public opinion. Johnny Cochran would have to find a rhyme for "megalomaniacal." Clarence Darrow would consider him a lost cause.


Listen, I don't know what happened in that hotel room any more than you do. Frankly, I don't expect we will ever find out. I have absolutely zero confidence in the American criminal-justice system when the defendant is a celebrity. I think it highly possible that Kobe could be innocent and found guilty, or vice-versa.


http://sportsmed.starwave.com/i/medi..._laker4_ft.jpg
Should the Fab Four be streamlined to a terrific trio?


But whatever it is he did or didn't do, the result has been unprecedented stress placed on every member of the Lakers organization, if not the entire NBA. (LeBron James, an 18-year-old kid with a lot of other things on his mind, had to answer questions about Kobe's case this summer, for crying out loud.) Yet Kobe seems oblivious. He's behaving like a man who has been wronged, but it isn't the Lakers or the league that wronged him.


This is the league that made his father a wealthy man, that allowed Kobe to grow up on the Main Line in Philadelphia, and it made Kobe one of the world's most beloved individuals. Now it has suffered perhaps it's greatest public relations hit ever. And still Kobe acts as though he lives in a vacuum, a place where everyone holds news conferences to profess their love to their wives, a place where diamonds are measured in pounds instead of carats.


He just doesn't get it, and that is the biggest disappointment. All this time, we thought if there was any athlete who got it, it was Kobe.


What he needs to do is walk away, exit stage left, disappear into thin air to whatever degree that is possible, until all this blows over. When it does, and only then, should he once again don the Lakers' purple-and-gold -- assuming his daily attire isn't an orange jump suit.


I know what you're thinking.


"Greeny, you're an idiot! The Lakers are off to a great start!"


I can't argue either point, but I can tell you that the Lakers' record is irrelevant. This team could win 75 games and it wouldn't mean a thing. Karl Malone and Gary Payton didn't come to L.A. to run a marathon; all they care about is the finishing sprint. Phil Jackson himself said, "It don't mean a thing if you don't get that ring," when his Bulls won a record 72 games. At this stage of his life, you know Phil doesn't get excited about anything that happens before spring.


This whole thing is about May and June. Who knows where Kobe will be then, literally or figuratively? Maybe he'll be in jail. Maybe he'll be in court. Maybe he'll be curled up in a dark room, staring deeply into his own soul, in the emotional equivalent of the fetal position. Who could blame him if he was? If he's about to stand trial for rape, he will have matters of far greater import on his mind than basketball. And that's the whole point.


If the Lakers learned anything from their disappointing season of 2002-2003, it is that there is no light switch that can be turned on and off when it comes to dedication and unselfishness. No matter how long and arduous the path to a title may seem, it is neccessary to observe and respect every step of it -- whether that step is being taken in the playoffs or in November. Shaquille O'Neal let his team down a year ago by not dedicating himself fully. (Kobe said as much in his shocking interview with Jim Gray.) That was inexcusable. Shaq is a highly-paid superstar; the least that should be expected from him is maximum effort. But from Kobe, right now, that expectation is unrealistic.


If things go his way in court, he should then be welcomed back on the court immediately. If it happens this season, great. If not, worse things have happened than a player missing one season in the middle of what should be a long and brilliant career. And, for what it's worth, the Lakers can still win the whole thing without him.


Everything Kobe says and does these days gives the impression he is playing for himself. That's not the way to win a title. This isn't about what is best for Kobe; it's about what is best for the Lakers and the league. And what is best for both of them right now is for Kobe to go away.


Mike Greenberg co-hosts ESPN Radio's Morning Show with Mike Golic and frequently anchors SportsCenter.

Something to think about
 

I've said the Lakers need the full team, but I'm beginning to wonder about the Kobester and his megalomania. That was a good read.

don't know if he should go away...
 

I just want him to shut the ______ up & play ball!