Los Angeles, Aug 04: The stage is set for America's latest celebrity trial of the century, with basketball icon Kobe Bryant due in court Wednesday to answer to rape charges that have spotlighted the issues of fame, sex, riches and race. The case, which has ratings-ravenous US news media watering at the mouth, is also raising serious legal and constitutional questions which balance the alleged victim's anonymity with the public's right to know.
As a media circus overtakes the 3,000-resident Hamlet of Eagle, Colorado, ahead of Bryant's first court appearance there, commentators are already drawing comparisons with the high-profile 1990s criminal trials of football star O J Simpson or Kennedy-clan member William Kennedy Smith.
"This case has everything to make the media salivate and to grip the public's imagination," said University of Southern California cultural expert Leo Braudy of the trial that could see Bryant jailed for life if convicted.
"We have a famous, rich, handsome and black sports hero with a squeaky clean reputation accused of a very serious crime. What could be better for the media - well, for a while anyway," he said.
The 24-year-old National Basketball Association superstar is accused of violating a 19-year-old employee of a Colorado Luxury Hotel and Spa Resort, where the alleged attack took place in his room on June 30.
Multi-millionaire Bryant, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, has denied sexually assaulting the teenager, but admitted cheating on his beautiful wife, Vanessa, saying he had consensual sex with the woman.

Bureau Report