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Bryant braves media frenzy to resume training
California, Oct 12: Kobe Bryant tried to resume his pre-season training amid a media frenzy surrounding his Thursday court appearance.
California, Oct 12: Kobe Bryant tried to resume his pre-season training amid a media frenzy surrounding his Thursday court appearance.
Kobe Bryant who faces up to life in prison if convicted of the single count of felony sexual assault against him, was hounded by reporters at a Lakers' training centre in El Segundo, California on Friday (October 10) but said little. When a reporter asked if he Bryant would have to miss Tuesday's (October 14) game to go to Wednesday's (October 15) hearing, he said: "I don't know, I don't know. I'm not really here to talk about hearings. Anybody got any questions about the season and my teammates, I'd be happy to answer those."
Bryant, 25, said that he and the 19-year-old Eagle woman had consensual sex while he stayed at the Colorado resort. Bryant is free on 25,000USD bond and must return to Eagle on Wednesday when the hearing resumes. The preliminary hearing on Thursday had been expected to last no more than five hours and many legal experts had predicted the Los Angeles Lakers basketball player would waive it altogether. Instead, the defence launched an all-out effort to cast the 19-year-old accuser in the worst light possible. The young woman who said Bryant raped her on June 30 at the resort where she worked as a concierge did not have to testify at Thursday's hearing.
But Bryant's attorney Pamela Mackey cross-examined prosecution witness detective Doug Winters aggressively, suggesting that injuries to the accuser may have been the result of her having "sex with three men in three days."
"It's serious mud. But the question is will it stick?" asked former chief deputy district attorney for Denver, Craig Silverman.
Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett ordered all the attorneys to come to his chambers after the "sex with three men" comment.
After 45 minutes the parties re-entered the courtroom and the judge said the preliminary hearing -- held to determine if the defendant should be put on trial -- would continue on Wednesday next week.
Bureau Report
Kobe Bryant who faces up to life in prison if convicted of the single count of felony sexual assault against him, was hounded by reporters at a Lakers' training centre in El Segundo, California on Friday (October 10) but said little. When a reporter asked if he Bryant would have to miss Tuesday's (October 14) game to go to Wednesday's (October 15) hearing, he said: "I don't know, I don't know. I'm not really here to talk about hearings. Anybody got any questions about the season and my teammates, I'd be happy to answer those."
Bryant, 25, said that he and the 19-year-old Eagle woman had consensual sex while he stayed at the Colorado resort. Bryant is free on 25,000USD bond and must return to Eagle on Wednesday when the hearing resumes. The preliminary hearing on Thursday had been expected to last no more than five hours and many legal experts had predicted the Los Angeles Lakers basketball player would waive it altogether. Instead, the defence launched an all-out effort to cast the 19-year-old accuser in the worst light possible. The young woman who said Bryant raped her on June 30 at the resort where she worked as a concierge did not have to testify at Thursday's hearing.
But Bryant's attorney Pamela Mackey cross-examined prosecution witness detective Doug Winters aggressively, suggesting that injuries to the accuser may have been the result of her having "sex with three men in three days."
"It's serious mud. But the question is will it stick?" asked former chief deputy district attorney for Denver, Craig Silverman.
Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett ordered all the attorneys to come to his chambers after the "sex with three men" comment.
After 45 minutes the parties re-entered the courtroom and the judge said the preliminary hearing -- held to determine if the defendant should be put on trial -- would continue on Wednesday next week.
Bureau Report