Kobe Bryant is free!

[Hachiko]

EAGLE, Colo. - The criminal case against Kobe Bryant case collapsed Wednesday as prosecutors said they had no choice but to drop the sexual assault charge because the NBA star�s accuser no longer wanted to participate.

Bryant, whose trial had been days from opening arguments, responded with an apology to the woman who had accused him and whose civil suit for damages is still pending.

�Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did,� Bryant said. �I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.�

MSNBC

[Anyuni_Nakashima]

I never believed that Kobe Bryant was guilty. It seemed to me that the accusers story was a lil fabricated. I believe that it was only truly about the money. However, that last quote from Kobe seems a lil suspicious like he's guilty.

--suggestion to Kobe (don't say anything)

[King of Tokyo]

Go Kobe Go

Hope that chick didn't get any money.

[EscaFlowne]

When everybody around me lost faith in kobe i stayed true and said she ain't gettin not a dime, and he's innocent! And now look!
Freedom never looked soo good on paper

[CC1]

This was the criminal case , she wasn't going to get a dime in this one anyway. Now he is set up for the civil case in which she will try to get a payout. Remember the O.J. Simpson case? He was innocent of criminal charges and guilty in the civil case!

I guess we'll see what happens!

[Miss_apollo7]

KOBE in FREEDOM is good!!
I also from the start believed that the story didn't hold water...it is very easy for someone to come up with claims like this in the hope of cash and fame...
If it was true, the girl wouldn't have backed out, would she?

[kin'niku]

he's such a good guy. cheating on such a beautiful young wife with some skank he knew for 5 minutes. A real humanitarian.

no one knows what happened bwtween Kobe and that girl, only they do. what is fact is his infidelity

[Miss_apollo7]

he's such a good guy. cheating on such a beautiful young wife with some skank he knew for 5 minutes. A real humanitarian.

no one knows what happened bwtween Kobe and that girl, only they do. what is fact is his infidelity

He is married?? I didn't know that....
Well, It must have slipped and I didn't notice it when I read about the case...

[NQT]

Married with a kid and soon to be divorce. His wife is filling for divorce.

[cicatriz esp]

Is she filing now? Good for her. She is going to get SO much money from this divorce. Kobe was pretty dumb about the whole thing. No pre nup i think?

[Anyuni_Nakashima]

Well...Before, Kobe and his wife Vennesa got married there were already rumours that his parents didn't like her, because she was a gold digger. She stayed with Kobe after the incident, when he bought her that $4 million dollar diamond ring.

I feel bad, because there is a child involved!!!

[cicatriz esp]

The term "gold digger" shouldn't really come into it, though, because it's technically adultery. He was in the wrong here, not his wife. She is entitled to all the money her lawyers can get from him.

[Anyuni_Nakashima]

The term "gold digger" shouldn't really come into it, though, because it's technically adultery. He was in the wrong here, not his wife. She is entitled to all the money her lawyers can get from him.

Ummm, okay!!! I was talking about Venessa and Kobe, before the incident even happened. About their relationship before they were even married. There were rumours going around that she only married Kobe for his money. I really wasn't referring to the case. I just mentioned the $4 million dollar ring he bought for her.

[ragedaddy]

There was a joke that I heard that went, by the end of the NBA season who's going to have more rings on their fingers? Kobe, or his wife?

Even though Kobe's charges were dropped, his image still has been tainted to say the least. Plus he still did cheat on his wife, so that still doesn't make him Mr. innocent. I guess he just needs to stay away from the psycho groupies next time.

[Satori]

I have been following this case, because my former employer, Scott Robinson, is both a legal columnist for the Rocky Mountain News and an attorney in Denver, and he has been covering this case from its inception. Sorry to bombard you with all these links, but I found it interesting to follow the story as it unfolded:

Robinson: Expect acquittal for Bryant because of lousy evidence
June 21, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...978780,00.html


Robinson: Judge juggling media, legal requests until trial
July 20, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...049434,00.html


Robinson: 'Groping' testimony a risky maneuver
August 4, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...085512,00.html


Robinson: Time may be right to end Bryant's criminal case
August 5, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...088216,00.html


Robinson: Last hurdle cleared for trial of Bryant - if it takes place
August 17, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...115754,00.html


Robinson: DNA filings another step on certain road to trial
August 26, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...138269,00.html


Robinson: Bryant trial more harm than good
August 27, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...140524,00.html


Robinson: Bryant case promised only defeat, disgrace
By Scott Robinson
September 2, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...155578,00.html


And this is an article that appears on the front page of the Rocky Mountain News today:

Bryant had no less than 64 on legal team
By Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News
September 4, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...160754,00.html


By the way, Scott was the best boss I ever had, even to this day. I really miss working for him!

[Dream Time]

I still believe that Kobe did commit the crime

if he was convicted and dissappears from the NBA,I would not care,no big deal for me as a basketball fan.

[Duo]

I don't know much about the case, or the allegations since I didn't look into it all, but somehow famous people with lotsa money seem to be always let off the hook. Maybe they ARE all innocent, who knows.

[Miss_apollo7]

I have been following this case, because my former employer, Scott Robinson, is both a legal columnist for the Rocky Mountain News and an attorney in Denver, and he has been covering this case from its inception. Sorry to bombard you with all these links, but I found it interesting to follow the story as it unfolded:

Robinson: Expect acquittal for Bryant because of lousy evidence
June 21, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...978780,00.html


Robinson: Judge juggling media, legal requests until trial
July 20, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...049434,00.html


Robinson: 'Groping' testimony a risky maneuver
August 4, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...085512,00.html


Robinson: Time may be right to end Bryant's criminal case
August 5, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...088216,00.html


Robinson: Last hurdle cleared for trial of Bryant - if it takes place
August 17, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...115754,00.html


Robinson: DNA filings another step on certain road to trial
August 26, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...138269,00.html


Robinson: Bryant trial more harm than good
August 27, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...140524,00.html


Robinson: Bryant case promised only defeat, disgrace
By Scott Robinson
September 2, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...155578,00.html


And this is an article that appears on the front page of the Rocky Mountain News today:

Bryant had no less than 64 on legal team
By Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News
September 4, 2004

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...160754,00.html


By the way, Scott was the best boss I ever had, even to this day. I really miss working for him!

Nice research Satori! Rockymountainnews-article gave a good overview.

[Satori]

Nice research Satori! Rockymountainnews-article gave a good overview.

Thanks! I thought those articles gave a good overview too.