Bryant charged with felony sexual assault

[Freddie]

They haven't convicted him of rape, nor even charged him with rape. I could be wrong, but aren't sexual assault and rape two different things?

If you're married, you shouldn't cheat, period.

He'll most likely plea bargain and we'll never know the truth.

I can't believe how many of you are willing to crucify a guy when none of us know any of the facts. What ever happened until innocent until proven guilty?

Anybody ever think the DA's office pressed charges because they know it'll never make it to trial? Kobe could plea bargain instead of missing the season and everything would disappear into obscurity. They have been in constant contact with his lawyers since day one, so it's not out of the question.

If this goes to trial and Kobe is proven innocent, Eagle County and the state of Colorado will have been proven wrong. If Kobe is found guilty, he'll spend a lot of time in jail or be on probation for life.

 

[Renz]

Originally posted by slinslin
Brian_In_Mesa
I didn't say Kobe deserves jailtime because I don't know if he is innocent or guilty BUT Lakersfans would deserve it if he was found guilty. At least they deserve to have to go through all of this.

That has to be one of the stupidest posts I have ever read.

 

[slinslin]

Kobe admitted that he had sex with the girl and is charged for sexual assault. Isn't that rape?

 

[Renz]

Originally posted by slinslin
Kobe admitted that he had sex with the girl and is charged for sexual assault. Isn't that rape?

No. The sex could have been consensual.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by KloD
Oh poor Kobe! I love how some people are so quick to jump on the side of a rich spoiled athlete rather than to believe that this is very serious and he most likely did it. Do you really think the D.A. would put his and the states ass on the line if they didn't have enough hard evidence? Just because most of these guys get off does not mean the crimes didn't happen. Yes, innocent until proven guilty, but that goes for the victim too.

The only two people that know what really happened are Kobe and the girl. What I am saying (and many others too) is that Kobe likely had consensual sex with her (why would he need to sexually force himself on someone?) and then she saw the chance to take it to court and be set for life (which happens all the time with women throwing themselves at pro athletes).

I never said "Poor Kobe" or put out any bit of sympathy for him. If he indeed cheated on his wife, I think he is a piece of crap.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by slinslin
Brian_In_Mesa
I didn't say Kobe deserves jailtime because I don't know if he is innocent or guilty BUT Lakersfans would deserve it if he was found guilty. At least they deserve to have to go through all of this.

Absolutely ridiculous post. Get a grip.

 

[Joe Mama]

The O.J. Simpson trial proved that they should have a minimum IQ for people serving on a jury.

IMO we can be disappointed that Kobe Bryant was already committing adultery. I think it's despicable. However we shouldn't be shocked when it happens. I just think someone like Kobe Bryant looks worse doing it because he played himself up to be such a family man. It's like if Jason Kidd was accused of the same thing at this point.

As far as the sexual assault charges go I don't pretend to know whether he did or did not do it. None of us really know. I do believe there must be some pretty strong evidence against him though. I don't think the district attorney would have gone ahead with the charges if there wasn't.

Unfortunately we will probably have to count on 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty to make the final call.

BTW they had an attorney on SportsCenter this afternoon, and he said there was no chance it would be a plea.

Joe Mama

 

[slinslin]

No. The sex could have been consensual.

I didn't say any different.

But he admitted that he had sex with her and he is charged with sexual assault.
So basically they are charging him for raping her. Innocent or not the question isn't if he slept with her the question is if he raped her or not.

 

[slinslin]

First he said he didn't even know her
Then he said he didn't sleep with her

Now he says he did sleep with her !but! they both wanted it.

Just based on that he is a liar and it will certainly not help himself.

It is unfortunate it happens to someone the NBA made one of its icons but I would feel a lot worse if it happened to TMac.
Lakersfans must not wonder that other teams fans are wishing them bad the way most Lakersfans act.

 

[KloD]

Originally posted by Brian in Mesa
The only two people that know what really happened are Kobe and the girl. What I am saying (and many others too) is that Kobe likely had consensual sex with her (why would he need to sexually force himself on someone?) and then she saw the chance to take it to court and be set for life (which happens all the time with women throwing themselves at pro athletes).

I never said "Poor Kobe" or put out any bit of sympathy for him. If he indeed cheated on his wife, I think he is a piece of crap.

...and what I am saying is that you (and many others too) are so quick to assume this is about money. That because he is rich she must be lying and going after his money. He can get tons of women so why would he rape? That line of thinking is why these athletes see a different justice system than the rest of us. You
seem to assume the D.A. is in it with the woman and they are setting him up for a payoff. The D.A. does not even need her permission to file charges, nor would he just by her asking. She may have been totally against it for all we know. She certainly isn't grabbing the spotlight. Just because you have money and groupies does not mean you wouldn't rape.

You didn't say this, but another here did:
Felony Sexual Assault does include rape. It does not include a butt slap. It means taking someone sexually with the use of force.

 

[Ryanwb]

I do not think that the DA would have filed this charge unless they had some physical evidence to go along with rape...since Kobe is admitting to having sex with her.

 

[elindholm]

Apparently Colorado law uses "sexual assault" to include a range of offenses, including rape. Read the ESPN link:

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0718/1582732.html

First-degree sexual assault sounds just like rape. The charges against Bryant are third-degree because he was less violent. Third-degree sexual assault can also include other kinds of "sexual contact" that do not involve penetration, but since Bryant has admitted having intercourse with the young woman, that doesn't appear to be relevant here.

 

[slinslin]

Exactly.
If they didn't think they would likely win the case and convict Kobe of class 3 sexual assault they would not have charged him.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
I just think someone like Kobe Bryant looks worse doing it because he played himself up to be such a family man. It's like if Jason Kidd was accused of the same thing at this point.

Joe Mama

Jason Kidd didn't have even close to the "squeaky-clean" image that Bryant just lost. Kidd had gotten his girlfriend pregnant in college, dumped her and griped about the amount of child support he had to pay when he signed his NBA contract and the support was adjusted appropriately to match his increased salary. Kidd always came off as a street-punk, even before he hit his wife.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by KloD
Are you kidding? There was absolutely no reason to the defense. What they did was confuse the hell out of the jury, that's how you create doubt. Reasonable...I don't think so. I would not have lost one night of sleep convicting him and I can't see how the jury saw it any other way.

Considering the fact that every bit of DNA and hair evidence basically had to be overlooked because of flaws in police procedure, I don't even know how you can say there wasn't reasonable doubt.

Heck, half the jurors said that they thought he was guilty, but they had to let him off because the evidence didn't show that he was 100% guilty.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by Brian in Mesa


I never said "Poor Kobe" or put out any bit of sympathy for him. If he indeed cheated on his wife, I think he is a piece of crap.

So, in your opinion, he is a piece of crap now?

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
Considering the fact that every bit of DNA and hair evidence basically had to be overlooked because of flaws in police procedure, I don't even know how you can say there wasn't reasonable doubt.

Heck, half the jurors said that they thought he was guilty, but they had to let him off because the evidence didn't show that he was 100% guilty.

Exactly. Add in weak prosecutors as well...

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by Renz
No. The sex could have been consensual.

We'll probably never know that, will we? Consensual sex isn't against the law.

And the whole "teenager" thing is overblown. If she was 17, it wouldn't be sexual assault, it'd be statutory rape. It doesn't matter that she's 19.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
So, in your opinion, he is a piece of crap now?

I'll always be a Lakers' fan, but I no longer root for Kobe, and actually wish they could move him for someone else. What a loser. Just my opinion.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by Brian in Mesa
Exactly. Add in weak prosecutors as well...

Oh the prosecution sucked, but the Los Angeles Police Dept. really screwed the pooch on this case.

Most of the evidence that we saw on TV was not allowed in the trial. The 911 calls, the pics. of Nicole Brown beaten up, OJs blood and hair at the scene, and a few other important pieces of evidence weren't allowed. No reasonable person could have convicted him (and on the same note, no reasonable person thought he was really innocent )

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by Brian in Mesa
I'll always be a Lakers' fan, but I no longer root for Kobe, and actually wish they could move him for someone else. What a loser. Just my opinion.

Good. I like consistency!

Jason Kidd---->piece of crap
Michael Pittman----> piece of crap
Kobe Bryant---->piece of crap

 

[WaywardFan]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
Good. I like consistency!

Jason Kidd---->piece of crap
Michael Pittman----> piece of crap
Kobe Bryant---->piece of crap

What a load of crap!

 

[KloD]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
Considering the fact that every bit of DNA and hair evidence basically had to be overlooked because of flaws in police procedure, I don't even know how you can say there wasn't reasonable doubt.

Heck, half the jurors said that they thought he was guilty, but they had to let him off because the evidence didn't show that he was 100% guilty.

I personally didn't see any problem with the police job in the OJ case. What the defense did was claim they were all in some big conspiracy to set up OJ. The jury was filled with people who had little education...I'm not going to waste my time. The evidence all
pointed to him 100%, but the claim he was setup is what the jury focused on. A pure and pathetic joke!

 

[JJ Slim]

Originally posted by Brian in Mesa
(why would he need to sexually force himself on someone?)

Because he wanted to have sex and she didn't. I can't see why it's so hard for people to accept the fact that Kobe might have actually raped her. Why do they have to try to justify what he did? I'm not saying he's guilty but I sure as heck am not saying he isn't either.

 

[Ryanwb]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
Good. I like consistency!

Jason Kidd---->piece of crap
Michael Pittman----> piece of crap
Kobe Bryant---->piece of crap

I actually agree...even though Kobe is still innocent until proven guilty by a jury of his peers of a felony. He lied about having any sort of contact with this woman, but only when the news broke he admitted to having a sexual relationship with her...probably on his attorney's wishes. What a chump