# Kobe Bryant charged with felony sexual assault **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 18, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476 "2003-07-18T21:27:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/1 "2003-07-18T21:27:57Z")
[Link](http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/07/18/kobe.bryant/index.html) > [@](#): > > Bryant was charged with one count of sexual assault, a class three felony. If convicted, Bryant could serve four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation, Hurlbert said. > > Bryant’s attorney, Pamela Mackey, planned to hold a news briefing in Los Angeles, California, after Hurlbert’s news conference, her office said. It is not known if Bryant will attend. > > A 19-year-old woman alleges she was a victim of sexual misconduct by Bryant on June 30 at the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Edwards, just west of the Vail ski resort. A hotel employee, the woman filed a police complaint the following day. Say it ain’t so Kobe. I don’t know what to think of this. Kobe has always seemed rather smug and cocky but I never thought of him as a criminal dirtbag. Kobe is now claiming that he had consensual sex with the woman. Details on the alleged victim are scant and the prosecutors has not released details on the charges. They must have have some kind of decent evidence, though, or they wouldn’t be moving forward against such a high profile figure. I’m at a loss for what to make of this…any opinions anyone? Is it possible that he’s guilty? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/2 "2003-07-18T21:33:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*[Link](http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/07/18/kobe.bryant/index.html) > Say it ain’t so Kobe. > > I don’t know what to think of this. Kobe has always seemed rather smug and cocky but I never thought of him as a criminal dirtbag. Kobe is now claiming that he had consensual sex with the woman. > > Details on the alleged victim are scant and the prosecutors has not released details on the charges. They must have have some kind of decent evidence, though, or they wouldn’t be moving forward against such a high profile figure. > > I’m at a loss for what to make of this…any opinions anyone? Is it possible that he’s guilty? \*\* It’s ENTIRELY possible he’s guilty… but whether he can be convicted is another matter. If it comes down to “he said/she said,” as it’s likely to, he probably walks. I don’t know Kobe OR his alleged victim, so I have no idea which of them is telling the truth. But somehow, I see this case ending in a large cash settlement (one that requires the victim to clam up), not in jail time for Kobe. ---
**Author:** ![Alzarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@Alzarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alzarian)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/3 "2003-07-18T21:53:34Z")
Is this sort of criminal case something that could be settled out of court? In any event, should Kobe be innocent, it would be a very damaging thing to try to pay his way out of it, as the spectre of him paying off the accuser would hang over him forever. If he goes to trial and succeeds in defending himself, he can win back his reputation. For that matter, if the accuser isn’t able to prove the case, would her name become public knowledge at that point? Could Kobe sue her for malice, thus making her the defendant and thus her name would be public record. Right? ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/4 "2003-07-18T22:43:12Z")
I believe there are unfortunately bruises involved, and after the Dahmer case, that cannot be ignored. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/5 "2003-07-18T22:50:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*[Link](http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/07/18/kobe.bryant/index.html) > Say it ain’t so Kobe. > > I don’t know what to think of this. Kobe has always seemed rather smug and cocky but I never thought of him as a criminal dirtbag. Kobe is now claiming that he had consensual sex with the woman. > \*\* Ehh. Last week, when asked about it, he **seemed** to be indicating that he didn’t even have sex with the woman…essentially saying to reporters “you guys know what I’m like…i would never do anything like this” (And it didn’t appear he was just talking about rape…but about extramarital sex) This has ick written all over it. I suspect we will know everything about the woman in question in no short order. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/6 "2003-07-19T00:45:43Z")
The non-denial denial goes like this. Maybe the woman will recant her allegation, maybe the DNA test will get fouled up or maybe I won’t be charged. In which case, I can leave the impression nothing at all happened. The moment the DNA test comes back positive or I get charged, then I will admit the sex and bring my wife and God into it. ---
**Author:** ![GOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@GOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GOM)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/7 "2003-07-19T00:59:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\* > > Say it ain’t so Kobe. > > \*\* Amen. I want to believe Kobe. Among professional athletes he strikes me as one of the most decent. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/8 "2003-07-19T01:32:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by beagledave \* > \*\* I suspect we will know everything about the woman in question in no short order. \*\* Me, too. Just saw a news item that revealed that she auditioned for American Idol, so I’m sure some footage of her will be dredged up. ---
**Author:** ![Mines\_Mystique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mines\_Mystique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mines_Mystique)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/9 "2003-07-19T02:15:35Z")
I happen to know this girl. I haven’t talked to her or seen her since this happened, but from what I knew of her in high school, she is not the type to make something like this up. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/10 "2003-07-19T02:26:22Z")
He’ll be fine. Juries rarely convict popular athletes. Whether he did it or not is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Bandanaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@Bandanaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bandanaman)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/11 "2003-07-19T02:29:20Z")
Kobe=lotsa money=Johnny Cochran=not guilty. Notice I didn’t say “innocent” ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/12 "2003-07-19T02:50:22Z")
So is Vanessa bright enough to throw his clothes on the lawn and take him for everything in a divorce, or is she gonna “stand by her man?” ---
**Author:** ![Ninas\_grandpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/54ee81/32.png) [@Ninas\_grandpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ninas_grandpa)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/13 "2003-07-19T12:42:28Z")
And just who is Kobe Bryant? Never heard of him. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/14 "2003-07-19T15:25:38Z")
**Ninas Grandpa** , If you’re being serious, Kobe Bryant is a superstar shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s one of the top two or three players in the league. He’s still very young and many people believe that he’s a Michael Jordan caliber talent. He has always had a clean cut image as well. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/15 "2003-07-19T15:52:35Z")
Gee, **DtC** , your OP surprises me somewhat. For someone who’s normally cynical enough not to be surprised by any weird or unpleasant revelation, your “Is it possible that he’s guilty” question is rather out of character. Surely someone as savvy about media maipulation and the creation of public images as you are shouldn’t be surprised by this. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GOM \* > \*\*Amen. > > I want to believe Kobe. Among professional athletes he strikes me as one of the most decent. \*\* But that’s just the point. Why does he “strike” you that way? Have you met him? So he’s a great player, seems amiable enough in press conferences, and appears in a bunch of commercials. So what? Instead of hoping that he lives up to his carefully-crafted public persona, it would be more logical to revise your impression of him in light of this new evidence. Because even if he didn’t rape this woman, he did commit adultery. I know this makes him only one of millions of men and women who do it, but this fact doesn’t make it particularly admirable. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/16 "2003-07-19T16:19:40Z")
Unfortunately, I don’t think we will ever know whether Kobe is innocent or not. In cases like these (remember O.J.?) the public circus is such that “the truth” never really comes out, and we are all left simply to speculate on what really happened. He said/She said rape cases are difficult enough; can you imagine finding an impartial jury anywhere who wasn’t acutely aware of the media attention, especially in this day and age of reality TV madness? Sadly, regardless of what _really_ happened, some will crucify Kobe and others will defend him, neither really knowing the truth. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/17 "2003-07-19T16:56:41Z")
Married, well-heeled, pro athletes having girlfriends and extra-marital sex lives is not all that uncommon. The wives and teammates accept it as part of their ‘needs.’ See it all the time. They’re like ‘sugar daddies’ to the girls and basically put them up in an apartment and pay their bills. Heck, I even knew one name athlete who had the wife and the girlfriend living in the same house. To put it crassly, even the good guys do it. He’s gotten hung up in this business and is in damage control mode. Whether he actually commited a crime remains to be seen but he’s an idiot. It’s a shame because he’s ruining his and his family’s credibilty. Not to mention what harm has been caused to the young lady involved. What does he mean by consensual anyway? Didn’t he have a say in the matter? Couldn’t he have prevented it? Think about it. ---
**Author:** ![Ninas\_grandpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/54ee81/32.png) [@Ninas\_grandpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ninas_grandpa)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/18 "2003-07-19T19:35:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\ ***Ninas Grandpa** , > If you’re being serious, Kobe Bryant is a superstar shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s one of the top two or three players in the league. He’s still very young and many people believe that he’s a Michael Jordan caliber talent. He has always had a clean cut image as well. \*\* Oh Basketball, No wonder I’ve never heard of him. (It’s a girl’s game over here). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/19 "2003-07-20T06:56:56Z")
japatlgt, what do _you_ think the word “consensual” means? I’m curious. ---
**Author:** ![eman77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@eman77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eman77)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/20 "2003-07-20T16:21:29Z")
I don’t think anyone could have an opinion about this case at all yet due the very limited evidence we’ve been presented. I’m strictly in the “I have no idea” group, basically because I can’t see why Kobe would sexually assault a woman. I’m not surprised he commited adultery but that he went out of his way to sexually assault a woman when he could just go out and call up a teammate, go to some party and get laid with whatever decent looking slut he finds. She could just as well be lying as what I presented may just be the defense of Kobe Bryant. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476.md?page=2)