# 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:** 2
**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 20, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/21 "2003-07-20T16:30:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by eman77 \* > \*\*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. \*\* I see. I think. You claim that no-one can have an opinion, and that you are in the “I have no idea” group, yet you are happy to assert what is effectively a defence of Bryant without having any evidence whatsoever. IANAL, but if i were on a jury the argument “He could have any slut he wanted” wouldn’t be much of a defence against a sexual assault charge. That ridiculous defence could just as easily be rebutted by arguing, “Well, maybe this woman said no, and he just couldn’t believe that any woman would say no to him.” Neither constitutes real evidence. ---
**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 20, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/22 "2003-07-20T16:50:53Z")
Some friends of the alleged victim said in an interview on Fox News yesterday that she had vaginal tearing and torn clothes. Very sobering evidence if true. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/23 "2003-07-20T17:02:05Z")
Here’s all I’ve heard: Kobe (who a TV recently reported in all seriousness IS in fact named after the Japanese beef), who is worth several million dollars, at the very least took advantage of his celebrity by having sex with this woman, and one DA is convinced that he forced her to have sex with him. The woman (who, according to one of her camera-hungry self-described friends “doesn’t need to do something like this to get famous, she could get famous on her own, she’s so talented”) has tried to get on American Idol, thereby proving that she wants a shot at fame badly enough to submit herself to public scrutiny and potential ridicule. Did he rape her, callously assuming his status as a sports star would protect him, or is she using the fact that they had sex to try be the next person to become famous by means of Darva Conger’s successful “I want to be left alone, please keep filming me saying that” ploy. I’d say either possibility is equally possible, given the evidence so far made public. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/24 "2003-07-20T18:50:12Z")
[Report: Incident occurred months before alleged assault](http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0720/1583145.html) From [ESPN.com](http://ESPN.com): > [@](#): > > The Colorado woman who has accused Kobe Bryant of sexual assault overdosed on pills and was rushed to a hospital two months before the alleged incident with Bryant, one of her close friends told the Orange County Register. > > … > > “This is powerful evidence and the answer to the defense’s prayers,” Robert Pugsley, a criminal law professor at Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, said. Pugsley added that this kind of evidence, if exploited by the defense, could be enough to shut down the case before it reaches trial. I’ve never been a fan of Kobe, but as others have said we won’t know what really happened. It’s a bad situation for everyone involved regardless of the outcome and who is telling the truth. ---
**Author:** ![schplebordnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@schplebordnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schplebordnik)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/25 "2003-07-21T00:53:50Z")
“Powerful evidence”? How does the fact that she maybe ODed on drugs damage her credibility? ---
**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 21, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/26 "2003-07-21T01:01:49Z")
A previous suicide attempt is “powerful evidence” of what, exactly? A woman who has attempted suicide can’t be raped? This suicide story is an irrelevant smear as far I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/27 "2003-07-21T01:11:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ninas grandpa \* > \*\*Oh Basketball, No wonder I’ve never heard of him. (It’s a girl’s game over here). \*\* I’ll bite if nobody else will. Where are you? ---
**Author:** ![Verminous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Verminous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Verminous)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/28 "2003-07-21T01:42:56Z")
Main thing is, why would she go to his room after-hours unless she wanted to do it with the Kobester? It’s not as if he dragged her up there. Add this to the fact that she has abused meds in the past, seems to be an avid fame-seeker (american idol), and her character is seriously in doubt. Not to say that it isn’t possible that Bryant raped her, but it’s iffy. He is a very, very wealthy man, and it’s not uncommon for women to do something like this. Civil suit looming regardless of the outcome of the trial… If she’s lying, I really hope Kobe sues. Make her think twice about being a gold-digger… ---
**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 21, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/29 "2003-07-21T01:51:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Verminous \* > \*\*Main thing is, why would she go to his room after-hours unless she wanted to do it with the Kobester? It’s not as if he dragged her up there. \*\* So any woman who ends up in your room/house/apartment is obliged to have sex with you? Nice attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/30 "2003-07-21T02:09:18Z")
If the woman really was a gold digger you would think that she would just blackmail Kobe. After all it at the very least was adultery. ---
**Author:** ![Verminous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Verminous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Verminous)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/31 "2003-07-21T02:28:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > \*\*So any woman who ends up in your room/house/apartment is obliged to have sex with you? > > Nice attitude. \*\* Hotel room? ---
**Author:** ![margin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@margin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/margin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/32 "2003-07-21T02:37:54Z")
Verminous, she worked as the concierge at the hotel where he was staying. Guests in other rooms reported hearing screams. And yeah, that’s a nice attitude. Makes you wonder why rape is so under-reported. ---
**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 21, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/33 "2003-07-21T02:38:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Verminous \* > \*\*Hotel room? \*\* Who gives a fuck what sort of room. Stepping into a hotel room with a man does notmean that she’s obliged to fuck him. She might even have gone there intending to fuck him, and then changed her mind when they arrived. Does she deserve to be raped for this? I’m not saying this is what happened, as i don’t know. But your argument that simply stepping into a hotel room with a guy means that a woman must somehow be asking for it is moronic. ---
**Author:** ![Verminous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Verminous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Verminous)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/34 "2003-07-21T02:49:37Z")
Not saying she was asking for it, i’m saying that she had no business going into his room after-hours unless she had some motives. Going to get his autograph? Naw, she was seen talking to him earlier in the day. What else? She wants to be friends? It’s different with a celebrity. One just has to notice the groupies waiting by the Laker bus to know this. If she changed her mind, then yes, Kobe had no right. Never said otherwise. ---
**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 21, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/35 "2003-07-21T03:09:29Z")
She worked at the hotel. She may have just wanted to meet him and get his autograph. She probably couldn’t have asked for his autograph while she was working so she went at the end of her shift. Her reputation is very good in that town (and what “character” issues are you alluding to, **Verminous**?). If the reports are true, there was vaginal tearing, bruises, torn clothing and reports of screams from other guests. Everyone who knows this girl has unanimously said that she is absolutely not a groupie or anyone who would invent a story like this. Of course, everybody that knows Kobe says that he would never assault a woman…but they also thought he’d never commit adultery. I just don’t think we know enough about the evidence yet to make an informed judgement. Kobe may be innocent but I’m not ready to start sliming the alleged victim just yet. Is it possible that in Bryant’s inflated ego it never occurred to him that a woman might really not want to have sex with him? That he didn’t even realize that she wasn’t consenting? ---
**Author:** ![YourOldBuddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bc79bd/32.png) [@YourOldBuddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YourOldBuddy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/36 "2003-07-21T03:12:07Z")
Rape cases are difficult to proove. My best friends brother was accused of rape by a girl half his age and who he hardly knew. He wasnt in the country at the time it was supposed to have happened :smack: It sort of changed my perspective. To this day ppl around here state that hes guilty :mad: He moved away poor bugger. I think Kobe should be found innocent until prooven guilty. I see no proof. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/37 "2003-07-21T04:34:32Z")
Are concierges ever required to say, take extra towels to a guest’s room? (I’ve never seen a concierge before so I have no idea what they do.) ---
**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 21, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/38 "2003-07-21T04:42:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by YourOldBuddy \* > \*\*Rape cases are difficult to proove. My best friends brother was accused of rape by a girl half his age and who he hardly knew. He wasnt in the country at the time it was supposed to have happened :smack: It sort of changed my perspective. To this day ppl around here state that hes guilty :mad: He moved away poor bugger. > > I think Kobe should be found innocent until prooven guilty. I see no proof. \*\* I agree. My position is that we should not trash _either_ party at this point until we know what the evidence is. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/39 "2003-07-21T05:00:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SnoopyFan \* > \*\*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?” \*\* The press conference attended by Kobe and his wife answered this question… she’s standing by him, or that’s at least what’s being presented on the surface. A local radio talk-show host is dead-convinced that her expression of support for Bryant is all a sham, managed by his “handlers.” While this is certainly a possibility, and worth keeping in mind, I don’t think there’s any reason to assume that it is so. It’s very possible, to my mind, that his wife genuinely loves him and wants to give him support. She may believe that he is wrongly accused, and she’s trying to help him by being there for him. Were I in a similar situation (and thank goodness I’m not), I would hope that my wife would stand by me at least until there was proof that I had done what I was accused of. In fact, I know she would – I was once accused of stealing, and she believed that I had not done it. She still does (and I didn’t). This radio host seemed to think it a completely alien concept that Bryant’s wife would genuinely _want_ to support her husband in a difficult time. Apparently, according to him, she should have hid herself away and been suspicious and doubtful from the get-go, before anything is even proven against him. And we wonder why he’s not married. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Verminous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Verminous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Verminous)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476/40 "2003-07-21T05:40:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > She worked at the hotel. She may have just wanted to meet him and get his autograph. She probably couldn’t have asked for his autograph while she was working so she went at the end of her shift. Don’t know all the details of their earlier meeting as of now, so I can’t really say if she could/couldn’t have procured an autograph then… it would seem like the common thing to do in asking for the autograph the 1st time you run into a celebrity, would it not? > [@](#): > > Her reputation is very good in that town (and what “character” issues are you alluding to, **Verminous**?). [Accuser ODed…basket case?](http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0720/1583145.html) [Tried out for American Idol…seeks fame?](http://www.thedenverchannel.com/sports/2326266/detail.html) > [@](#): > > If the reports are true, there was vaginal tearing, bruises, torn clothing and reports of screams from other guests. Everyone who knows this girl has unanimously said that she is absolutely not a groupie or anyone who would invent a story like this. > > Of course, everybody that knows Kobe says that he would never assault a woman…but they also thought he’d never commit adultery. > > I just don’t think we know enough about the evidence yet to make an informed judgement. Kobe may be innocent but I’m not ready to start sliming the alleged victim just yet. > > Is it possible that in Bryant’s inflated ego it never occurred to him that a woman might really not want to have sex with him? That he didn’t even realize that she wasn’t consenting? Her friends also failed to mention her overdosing. Accident? Ha. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kobe-bryant-charged-with-felony-sexual-assault/189476.md?page=3)