In a tearful statement Kobe Bryant said he committed adultery, yet professed that he did not harm her, or force her to do anything she didn’t want to do. Wife on right, Kobe was tearful and claimed innocence. My personal opinion is he probably did have sex with the girl, and told her to leave, thus inflaming her. This probably sent her into a veritable rage. Big powerful, celebrity with more money than God can count kicks girl out of hotel and girl gets pissed. Simplistic maybe, but sources say she is over-reactive and her credibility is highly in question.
My wife and I were talking about it this morning because we saw him all teary on national television. I’m not sure but if this had been any old Joe in Colorado charged with this, he’d most likely be jailed. But this being an extremely high level case I feel she [the victim] will be squashed. I say this because the district attorney in colorado prosecuting the case seems like a joke. Charlie Gibson grilled him this morning about several factors of the case and the guy barely kept his composure. If he acts like that in the court room the case is already in favor of the defense.
Sinse O.J I have not put much stock into high profile cases such as this one. Even now with Robert Blake and the new evidence of Marlon Brando’s son being the possible murderer instead.
What is it with celebrity crime? Just because someone is a household name should not mean our justice system breaks down. Off the top of my head the only case I can think of is Tyson’s rape case, where a celebrity served time. Any other cases in recent times where celebrities served time?
James Brown served a while, not really recently but in the last 15 years.
Rapper Ol Dirty Bastard (not a huge celebrity, but well known).
I’m pretty sure Rick James was in jail for a while.
We’re going to see more of the same in early September with Michael Pittman (running back for Tampa Bay) He was already on super double secret probation with the police as a result of at least two incidents of domestic battery/abuse. Then, after a fight with his wife, he took his car (I think it was a Hummer?) and rammed his wife’s mercedes off the road. Oh yeah, minor detail, his wife, 2 year old son, and their babysitter were all in the Benz. If this was you are me we’d be going to jail for a long time, but I just dont think Pittman will.
I was listening to a defense attorney on talk radio this am. The Bryant press conference was completely staged and well-rehearsed. Ie. Mrs. Bryant staring lovingly (and fixedly), holding his hand, Kobe crying. (Incidentally, Kobe is his wife’s meal ticket and she has a lot of vested interest in hanging on to him).
Also, Mrs. Bryant was staying in the same hotel b/c she was with him for his knee surgery. Would he take the risk and jeopardize his marriage/career in such a reckless manner with her in the same hotel?
Friends of the alleged victim say how just weeks prior she tried to O.D. with pills b/c of a breakup with her boyfriend and death of a girlfriend.
Her ticket to financial freedom is to either get knocked up by Kobe AND/OR press charges and later file civil charges for a large settlement.
IMHO. I think the girl is a little imbalanced golddigger.
Who is Kobe Bryant and why would I care if he is a rapist? I have heard the name before but neither care nor have the inclination to look up who he is.
That would explain why I didn’t know who he is. Now I care even less. Let’s hope he gets a fair trial and not an OJ type of trial that just opened more worms than it closed.
I don’t know if he raped her or not, but there’s certainly more evidence (physical & witnesses) that he did than that she’s a “gold-digger”. We’ll see…
If the charges against Bryant are bogus, Bryant’s accuser, not having been raped, would be putting herself in a situation that 19 out of 20 real rape victims her age think isn’t worth the trouble.
Then again, 999 out of a thousand real rape victims don’t stand a chance of getting a huge financial settlement. I could also see it actually being emotionally easier to make the charge if one hasn’t actually suffered rape and all of its traumatic effects.
I have no trouble believing that a sports star would commit rape. I also have no trouble believing that some women would falsely accuse a sports star of rape. And, I have no trouble believing we’ll never know what actually happened.
What woman, even a naive 19-year-old, doesn’t know that accusing someone of rape could mean being disbelieved, humiliated, attacked in court and in the media by the defense?
IMO, being financially set for the rest of her life via a multi-million dollar lawsuit settlement. She’ll get over the so-called humiliation in a few years making it all worthwhile.
Maybe this is a hijack, rather than saying, “Yes, he is” or “No, he’s not”.
How does this situation not become a “he-said, she-said” stand-off in the courts?
How does the alleged victim of rape back up her version of the incident?
Results from a rape-kit testing? What else? Witnesses after the incident? I’ll take this to GQ, if deemed appropriate.
I believe the only way this could possibly become more than “he said, she said” is if they have evidence of force.
The primary function of a rape kit is to collect bodily fluids for DNA testing. Bryant denied any contact with her at first, so the rape kit would’ve proven that he was lying about that at least. Now, we know he had sex with her (he’s admitted as such, and the prosecution has stated it has DNA evidence, which implies he didn’t use a condom, which is another “stupid as hell” part of the story), so that takes care of the proof that they were intimate.
The secondary function of the rape kit is the additional physical evidence- the statements of the victim and any witnesses, torn clothing, bruises, etc. What the prosecution will be looking for is either people who saw her right afterwards and would testify to the fact that she was upset/shaken/not herself, and/or evidence of bruising, welts, defensive wounds, wounds on him, etc, that are compatible with the rape that she describes.
[tactlessness alert]Only problem is we don’t know how rough either of them likes it… they could’ve been engaged in consentual rough play that left bruising which could be misinterpreted.[/tactlessness alert]
So just out of curiousity, what would be people’s reactions if the victim comes out and publically says, “I do not want any sort of money or settlement, I will not sign any book deals or contracts, I just want to see Kobe be punished for what he did to me.” How would that influence people’s opinions in this case?
People can SAY anything. I’d say zero. Or less: people might suggest she is protesting too much.
There is no money to be had and no settlement to make. She’s not SUING him, he’s being prosecuted for felony sexual assault. If she wants, she could sue him - remember that the Goldmans sued OJ after his acquittal - but while she could get famous from this if she so chose, there isn’t money in it that way. Perhaps from selling her story to a TV network or something, but it’s too early in the game for that, I think.
Let’s hope he gets a fair trial and not an OJ type of trial that just opened more worms than it closed.
I’d say zero. Or less: people might suggest she is protesting too much.