Kobe Case Dismissed!

[Cardo818]

Associated Press
EAGLE, Colo. -- The Kobe Bryant case collapsed Wednesday as prosecutors dropped the ***ual assault charge against the NBA star, saying the alleged victim no longer wanted to participate after a series of embarrassing courthouse gaffes.



"This decision is not based upon a lack of belief in the victim -- she is an extremely credible and an extremely brave young woman," District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said outside the courthouse. "Our belief in her has not wavered over the past year. ... Ultimately, we respect her decision 100 percent."


Kobe's apology
"First, I want to apologize directly to the young woman involved in this incident. I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for me personally, I can only imagine the pain she has had to endure. I also want to apologize to her parents and family members, and to my family and friends and supporters, and to the citizens of Eagle, Colo. ...
Read the complete statement




In a statement from his attorney, Bryant apologized for his "behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year."



"Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did," said Bryant, a married father of one who did not attend the afternoon courtroom session Wednesday.



Bryant still faces a civil lawsuit filed by the 20-year-old accuser that seeks unspecified damages. Bryant said he understood that, but was glad the criminal case would no longer be a financial or emotional drain on the Colorado public.



The dismissal marks a stunning turn in the high-profile case against one the NBA's brightest young stars whose image has been tarnished by the sordid allegations. For months, prosecutors had insisted they had a strong enough case to win a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt as Bryant lost endorsements and his accuser endured a series of death threats her mother said left her terrified.



Instead, prosecutors dropped the case after spending thousands of dollars to prepare for trial and just days before opening statements were scheduled to begin next Tuesday. Jury selection was scheduled to wrap up this week.



Hurlbert said the alleged victim did not want to participate in the trial, including taking the stand. Her attorney, John Clune, said she has been through an extremely difficult time over the past 14 months and was disturbed by the mistakes that included the release of her name on a state courts Web site and her medical history to attorneys in the case.



"The difficulties that this case has imposed on this woman the past year are unimaginable," Clune said.



With the parents of the woman looking on, District Judge Terry Ruckriegle threw out the case under a deal that means charges will not be refiled. He said he took full responsibility for the gaffes, but he also blamed Colorado lawmakers for slashing the budgets of the judicial system.



Whatever the woman's decision, legal experts said a series of court rulings had also hurt the prosecution's case, including a decision allowing her *** life in the days surrounding her encounter with Bryant to be admitted as evidence. This was expected to bolster the defense contention that she slept with someone after leaving Bryant and before she went to a hospital exam -- a potentially key blow to her credibility.



"You can't make a case when there is no case," said attorney Lisa Wayne, who has defended clients in numerous ***ual assault cases. "The prosecution has to take responsibility."



The pending civil case would also allow defense attorneys to argue the woman had a financial motive to accuse Bryant of assault. Bryant's defense team has long argued she falsely accused him to gain the attention of a former boyfriend, and that she was given nearly $20,000 from a victims' compensation fund.



Bryant, 26, has tearfully admitted he had consensual *** with a then-19-year-old employee of a Vail-area resort where he stayed last summer. If convicted, the Los Angeles Lakers star would have faced four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation, and a fine up to $750,000.



Defense attorneys had asked the judge to dismiss the assault charge, saying prosecutors had refused to turn over details that could suggest he is innocent. Court rules require prosecutors and defense attorneys to exchange evidence and witness opinions before trial, a process called discovery.



In a motion made public earlier Wednesday, defense attorneys said a forensics expert whom prosecutors had planned to call as a witness had information that "undermined the accuser's allegations and the prosecution's case, and corroborated Mr. Bryant's defense on a central issue -- the cause and significance of the accuser's alleged injuries."



The filing said those opinions were not disclosed to the defense until they contacted the expert last week, despite repeated requests to prosecutors for the information. Prosecutors have said they have turned over all information they were required to.



Defense attorneys asked the judge to either dismiss the case or bar prosecutors from introducing any expert testimony relating to the accuser's injuries.



L. Lin Wood, an attorney handling the woman's federal civil lawsuit against Bryant, said that case was still pending. Indeed, the judge in that case cleared the way for details to be released later.


Like the criminal case, the civil lawsuit accuses Bryant of attacking the woman in his room at the Cordillera resort near Edwards, causing her emotional and physical problems that linger to this day.



The attorneys accused Bryant of flirting with the woman, a front desk employee, during a tour of the resort. After the two ended up in his room, they began to kiss. Investigators have said the encounter turned violent after flirting by both Bryant and his accuser, and that she told Bryant "no" at least twice.



In the civil suit, the attorneys said at some point during the kissing "Bryant's voice became deeper and his acts became rougher" as he began to grope the woman. She asked him to stop, but Bryant allegedly blocked her exit, grabbed her and forced her over a chair to rape her.



Bryant's hands were around the woman's neck, the attorneys said -- "a perceived threat of potential strangulation if she resisted his advances."


--espn.com--

[pajerokid]

well this is good news for Laker fans!

[baiskee]

now he can focus on his game.

[skipper]

Looks like money changed hands already...lots of it.

hehe

[empy]

great! now we can just miss the playoffs instead of having the worst record in the league and win the draft lottery!!

[ownertype]

nung naging civil and case ni Kobe, i said to myself anytime ma dismiss na yung kaso. I am damn right!

[gretzy]

as expected! :D

[silver_corolla]

so hindi na pala matutuloy ang pagtatayo ng sariling basketball team ni Kobe sa NBA...... Team Manager pa naman sya.... and their team should have been called the "Penetentiary Bulldogs".. :D

[stug30]

good for him....sorry for her....

[jolog1]

Stug30 - dismiss yung case kasi binayaran lang iyan ni Kobe. The question is, ni-rape ba talaga ni Kobe or extortion ito ever since the beginning? Million siguro nakuha niya.

[gearspeed]

Looks like money changed hands already...lots of it.

hehe

I agree...Nasa isip ko na nga na madidismissed yung case ni Kobe...:D

[rob22]

Cno yung may alam ng name ng girl? Chick ba?

[GlennSter]

why am i not surprised.....

[kiper]

Ganyan talaga pag maraming pera. Ako kaya?

[Cardo818]

siguro masmalaki makukuha ng girl sa agreement pag civil lawsuit(tama ba?)