Like a lot of people, the Kobe Bryant situation has certainly caught our
attention, and so this
link was of interest: basically, all of the attorneys interviewed said they
didn't think Bryant would serve any time in jail. A friend of the victim's
says that her alleged injuries were visible days later. However, various
reports have the potential to undermine the accuser's case. For one, she
recently attempted suicide at least once after "a series of emotional upheavals she'd lived through in recent
weeks," according
to the Vail Daily. The paper is also seeking
police dispatch records to the young woman's house, which are normally
matters of public record. However, the D.A. argues that releasing them would
cause "irreparable" harm to the accuser and the investigation.
There are two incidents at issue.
The paper goes on to cast a fairly dubious eye on the young woman, saying
that her support in her hometown is "tepid," and says this: "The evidence and facts of the case had better be awfully solid, though. In the battle of backgrounds and reputations, the young woman enters with a decided disadvantage. By now, the prosecutors have sat the young woman down and sorted through the implications of her past emotional difficulties. No one - other than maybe an eager defense team - wants to
'go there.' But to not explore the young woman's background thoroughly would be irresponsible. Those undisclosed incidents provide a big clue that there is something to understand before moving forward."
Given the tenor of this passage, we're guessing the paper has a pretty good
idea of what those incidents are, but cannot discuss them yet. And check this link out: the editor of the paper has some fairly sharp things to say. No doubt whatever he is alluding to will eventually come out.
The paper is also not impressed with the prosecutor, saying that "[t]he sheriff can wipe his brow, having handed off the burden of his premature and secret arrest of the idolized defendant to the young DA whose office has not inspired a whole lot of confidence these past couple of
years..." and that "[w]e want to be proud of our sheriff and district attorney. Perhaps a sure-footed prosecution of a national figure will cement the community's sense of being well served in the judicial arena. How this all plays out from here will tell us much about whether we truly have the right people leading these offices."
The paper goes on to say: "Our DA shows courage and resolve taking the case on. He'll just have to excuse a wait-and-see wariness in the community on whether his office has the competence and judgment to carry it through."
Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
And as far as the victim goes, pretty clearly they aren't "going
there," but they certainly suggest that someone should. A decided
disadvantage in reputation? Past emotional difficulties? Undisclosed
incidents?
This MSNBC article claims that the young woman actually attempted suicide
twice, once at her college and once at home, which one would guess rule out
these two cases being the ones the Daily is trying to access, since the
University of Northern Colorado (UNC?) is in Greeley. The defense
therefore would like to know about both alleged suicide attempts and whatever
the dispatch calls were about.
Additionally, in the video linked in this story, a guy named Steve Evancho
claims that at his party, the young woman
bragged about having sex with Bryant, even describing his anatomy. He
may as well pencil in time off during the trial, because he'll surely be called.
Now there is some indication that the woman may
be having second thoughts about the case, not realizing it would "get
this big." As you have probably heard, a number of media outlets have
published her name, and a lot of people seem to have found her e-mail and are
sending her threats of one sort and another, which is just disgraceful,
regardless of whatever actually happened.
At any rate, the circus continues.