Prosecutors DISMISSED Kobe Case

[dojo]

Originally posted by mccoyred
is Johnnie Cochran, et al, I say?!

I remember Johnnie Cochran saying that he wasn't going to take on any high profile cases after Diddy's - he was going to start working on behalf of the "common" and "ordinary" folk. But I do believe that a dream team is definitely in order here. Eagle Co. is going to do their best to make an example of Mr. "Beanie Man"

[Steeltrap]

Is a black columnist for the Kansas City Star and has a great column on Kobe:

http://msn.espn.go.com/page2/s/whitlock/030807.html

[FeeFee]

Originally posted by Steeltrap
Feh on Nutella. But I'm surprised that Sprite dumped him. Now, I wonder about Nike and the contract.

Your right, what about Nike???
Only time will tell.

Lovelyivy - what is Nutella? I've never heard of it until it was reported that they dropped Kobe.

[Gina1201]

Originally posted by FeeFee
Your right, what about Nike???
Only time will tell.

Lovelyivy - what is Nutella? I've never heard of it until it was reported that they dropped Kobe.

Nutella is a chocolate spread I believe. The company is overseas, Italy, perhaps

[Mz Destiny]

Originally posted by Gina1201
Nutella is a chocolate spread I believe. The company is overseas, Italy, perhaps

Nutella is some gooooood stuff! It's a chocolate and hazelnut spread. Try it on some warm bread! You will be instantly addicted! They sell it here in regular supermarkets.

My comment about the whole Kobe thing is this. He may have had sex with the girl, but I really don't think he raped her. That's not really in his character. I know him (We went to the same high school-shout out to Lower Merion High School-Ardmore, PA!).

Think about it. If he did rape the girl, do you really think he would have even admitted to having sex with her at all???

[FeeFee]

Originally posted by Gina1201
Nutella is a chocolate spread I believe. The company is overseas, Italy, perhaps

Thanks!!!!

[exquizit]

Originally posted by Mz Destiny


Think about it. If he did rape the girl, do you really think he would have even admitted to having sex with her at all???

I wasn't the pillow or the bedpost so I dunno if he did or didn't do it...but I think to cover his ass that's EXACTLY what he would do.

[Kimmie1913]

Actually, from a legal strategy standpoint, that is exactly what he should do if there is chance they would find his, uh, DNA on her.

Think about it, if he says nothing happened but the find his DNA on her, he is clearly lying. But if he admits that they had consensual sex, it becomes a "he said, she said". There is no longer a question about did they or didn't they, only about consent. That is what makes acquaintance rape so difficult to prove. Often the alleged assailant admits sex but argues it was consensual.

Originally posted by Mz Destiny
Nutella is some gooooood stuff! It's a chocolate and hazelnut spread. Try it on some warm bread! You will be instantly addicted! They sell it here in regular supermarkets.

My comment about the whole Kobe thing is this. He may have had sex with the girl, but I really don't think he raped her. That's not really in his character. I know him (We went to the same high school-shout out to Lower Merion High School-Ardmore, PA!).

Think about it. If he did rape the girl, do you really think he would have even admitted to having sex with her at all???

[KappaKittyCat]

Crepes with Nutella are the anti-nutricious but CERTAINLY delicious.

I love croissants with Nutella. Heck, I just love Nutella. Had it every morning at breakfast when I lived in Italy.

Think about it, if he says nothing happened but the find his DNA on her, he is clearly lying. But if he admits that they had consensual sex, it becomes a "he said, she said". There is no longer a question about did they or didn't they, only about consent. That is what makes acquaintance rape so difficult to prove. Often the alleged assailant admits sex but argues it was consensual.

This is why I'm not going to pass judgement on the alleged victim. I've had so many sisters and friends who were not believed when their charismatic assailants claimed consent.

And I love the idea about the official team consent forms and notary public. It's a shame that the world is coming to that, but I guess it's always best to CYA. Kobe sure didn't, and look where it got him.

PS: How can Vanessa even hold her hand up with such a boulder on it?

[Steeltrap]

Warning: This site contains some rather offensive T-shirts, including this one that mentions the Kobester:

http://www.tshirthell.com/images/shirtofmonth_80.jpg

[Eclipse]

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

[CrimsonTide4]

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.


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.


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.

[D.COM]

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.

[OthelloStreet]

Originally posted by D.COM
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.

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.

[D.COM]

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!