Charges against Kobe have been dropped.

[davidlando1]

I gave you a topic, discuss. :cool:

[Draft Dodger]

not at all surprised. personally, I don't think he did it, although I'm sure there'll be plenty of dissenting opinions posted here.

quite a shocker that they're still going to go for the money, though, eh?

[davidlando1]

I just watched the prosecuter's press conference on ESPN, he was very careful with the language he used, which was interesting to me. I believe " because of the victim not being willing to press on with the case, was the ONLY reason that I am dropping this case" was an interesting quote. That was the jist of it anyway, i didn't get it exactly right...but i believe that was pretty darn close. I don't believe KB is any danger to society, nor do i believe he is totally innocent in this matter. Of course I've only heard the prosecuter speak, I'm waiting to hear KB's lawyers put their version of the truth out there. As usual, maybe somewhere in the middle, the truth actually lies...

[Danny]

How is there middle ground? He either raped her or he didn't.

[rexallllsc]

If I had to guess...I'd say they started gettin' into it, and she flipped. Then she banged a dude the next day.

Whether it happened or not, her credibility is shot (regardless of her willingness to testify).

I bet we'll never know the real story.

[Dutch]

Whew, I was thinking the NBA was about to lose one of their dunking stars...

:D

[MrBug708]

Dunking stars? Missed a lot of Laker games didya?

[SirFozzie]

wow.. strong words from CNN.

CNN's senior legal analyst is calling the prosecution's handling of the case "a disgrace."

"That this prosecutor's office would charge Kobe Bryant with a crime that could have left him in prison for 20 years, and branded him a sex offender for the rest of his life -- and now they simply walk away from this case? ... It is a disgrace that these prosecutors have brought a case on such flimsy grounds," Jeffrey Toobin said.

[Deattribution]

“I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for me personally, I can only imagine the pain she has had to endure. I also want to apologize to her parents and family members, and to my family and friends and supporters, and to the citizens of Eagle, Colo.

I also want to make it clear that I do not question the motives of this young woman. No money has been paid to this woman. She has agreed that this statement will not be used against me in the civil case.

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. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.

I issue this statement today fully aware that while one part of this case ends today, another remains. I understand that the civil case against me will go forward. That part of this case will be decided by and between the parties directly involved in the incident and will no longer be a financial or emotional drain on the citizens of the state of Colorado.”



Seemingly sincere, I find it interesting though that he can 'understand how she feels she didn't consent'

*edit to fix a bit that was left out somehow

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5890560/?GT1=5100

[clintl]

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. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.

That is pretty damn close to a confession.

[jbmagic]

will there be a civle suit now?

or did kobe pay her off to drop the case ?

[Draft Dodger]

Bryant's statement is bizarre on several levels.

[Dutch]

Dunking stars? Missed a lot of Laker games didya?

Good point, it's true, I've missed as many as possible.

[Eaglesfan27]

The conspiracist in me wonders if Bryants statement was part of some deal he and his accuser reached? In any case, it is very odd.

[clintl]

That's kind of what I'm thinking, when you couple that with the final paragraph, which implies that they're working on an out-of-court settlement.

[Deattribution]

At the very least, his statement seems to make it sound as if she wasn't evily motivated as so many have tried to make her sound.


Actually makes it sound more like it was just a terribly screwed up case against him that should of went to trial.

[John Galt]

I think Kobe's statement can only be read as him having paid her off. Otherwise, that statement will be admitted into evidence in a civil case as an admission. His legal team would have been STUPID beyond belief to allow him to say that if there wasn't a settlement in place.

[Draft Dodger]

I think Kobe's statement can only be read as him having paid her off. Otherwise, that statement will be admitted into evidence in a civil case as an admission. His legal team would have been STUPID beyond belief to allow him to say that if there wasn't a settlement in place.

B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-oh!

[stevew]

Steven A Smith: O.K., let me tell you what this case is about. It's all about this cooze who's a regular fuck machine, I'm talking morning, day, night, afternoon, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick, dick.

Nancy Grace: How many dicks is that?
Pamela Mackey : A lot.

Steven A Smith: Then one day she meets this John Holmes motherfucker and it's like, whoa baby, I mean this cat is like Charles Bronson in the Great Escape, he's digging tunnels. Now, she's gettin' the serious dick action and she's feeling something she ain't felt since forever. Pain. Pain. It hurts her. It shouldn't hurt her, you know her pussy should be Bubble Yum by now, but when this cat fucks her it hurts. It hurts just like it did the first time. You see the pain is reminding a fuck machine what it once was like to be a virgin. Hence, "Like a virgin."

[MrBug708]

I think Kobe's statement can only be read as him having paid her off. Otherwise, that statement will be admitted into evidence in a civil case as an admission. His legal team would have been STUPID beyond belief to allow him to say that if there wasn't a settlement in place.


The statement was issued on the grounds that she wouldn't use it in Civil Court

[haji1]

I think that the statement was agreed to if they dropped the case. I think the prosecution just wanted some of the heat taken off themselves for how they handled the case and for the harm that it has caused the girl and the family. I feel they hope people will look at what Kobe said and back off the girl a little.

[Draft Dodger]

The statement was issued on the grounds that she wouldn't use it in Civil Court

right.
and why would she agree to that again?

[SunDancer]

right.
and why would she agree to that again?

Well,
The settlement or statement would of never been reached and relased if that was not agreed to.

[rkmsuf]

I kind of like this Yahoo article title


Lakers: Kobe gets off

[korme]

That is pretty damn close to a confession.
Reports indicate he was to give that statement on the behalf of the prosecution for the case to be dropped.

[Danny]

It's better to look guilty at the mall than innocent in jail.