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American Morning
Lakers' Guard Talking This Past Weekend
Aired July 14, 2003 - 08:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to basketball star Kobe Bryant and the sexual allegations that have been made against him by a 19-year- old woman in Colorado. While the prosecutor continues to mull possible charges, the Lakers' guard was talking this past weekend.
Brian Cabell live this morning in Eagle, Colorado following this case for us -- Brian, good morning.
What did Kobe say?
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kobe had a few things to say. You know, Bill, it was exactly two weeks ago today that he came here for surgery on his knee, two weeks ago tonight that the alleged incident occurred at a resort not far from Vail. And, finally, as we say, we expect this week we will have a decision on whether to prosecute or not.
But a couple of developments over the weekend with Kobe Bryant. First of all, his mug shot was released by the sheriff. The sheriff had withheld it up until this point. This was a mug shot that was taken on July 4th when he flew out here to be processed.
But he also spoke to the "Los Angeles Times," the first time he spoke publicly on this case since it broke. He said, "When everything comes clean, it will all be fine. You'll see." He continued, "But you guys know me. I shouldn't have to say anything. You know I would never do anything like that." And then finally he said, "Man, there's a lot of crazy stories out there."
What's apparently holding this decision up by the prosecutor is the lab work being done by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. DNA lab work takes a while. Normally it takes about six weeks in sexual assault cases, we're told, in Colorado. But they are expediting this.
It should take only about two weeks, which means we may have a decision later on this week.
The victim's name, of course, has never been released in this case, but you talk to the town of Eagle, half the population knows that name. We've talked to a number of people who know her over the last week. We hear a variety of opinions. Most people will tell us she's a nice girl. She's friendly. She's very talented. She's a piano player. She's a singer.
We also hear things like she's ambitious and also that she has emotional problems.
But, of course, that description fits an awful lot of 19 year old girls.
The bottom line here, Bill, is that we're simply going to have to wait for the prosecutor's decision, and, as we say, that could come as early as tomorrow.
HEMMER: Brian, going back about a week ago it was said that the woman, the young woman and her family had gotten out of the state, possibly taking some vacation time away. Are they back now?
CABELL: They are back. She came back a few days ago. So she is back. She has talked to her friends on the phone. We don't know whether she's gone back to work yet. We expect her to go back to college. She goes to the University of Northern Colorado. But, no, she is back in town. She's not very public, but she has talked to her friends on the telephone.
HEMMER: All right, Brian, we'll await the lab results, I guess, and some decision by the D.A., whenever that comes out.
Thanks, live in Eagle, Colorado.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 14, 2003 - 08:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to basketball star Kobe Bryant and the sexual allegations that have been made against him by a 19-year- old woman in Colorado. While the prosecutor continues to mull possible charges, the Lakers' guard was talking this past weekend.
Brian Cabell live this morning in Eagle, Colorado following this case for us -- Brian, good morning.
What did Kobe say?
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kobe had a few things to say. You know, Bill, it was exactly two weeks ago today that he came here for surgery on his knee, two weeks ago tonight that the alleged incident occurred at a resort not far from Vail. And, finally, as we say, we expect this week we will have a decision on whether to prosecute or not.
But a couple of developments over the weekend with Kobe Bryant. First of all, his mug shot was released by the sheriff. The sheriff had withheld it up until this point. This was a mug shot that was taken on July 4th when he flew out here to be processed.
But he also spoke to the "Los Angeles Times," the first time he spoke publicly on this case since it broke. He said, "When everything comes clean, it will all be fine. You'll see." He continued, "But you guys know me. I shouldn't have to say anything. You know I would never do anything like that." And then finally he said, "Man, there's a lot of crazy stories out there."
What's apparently holding this decision up by the prosecutor is the lab work being done by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. DNA lab work takes a while. Normally it takes about six weeks in sexual assault cases, we're told, in Colorado. But they are expediting this.
It should take only about two weeks, which means we may have a decision later on this week.
The victim's name, of course, has never been released in this case, but you talk to the town of Eagle, half the population knows that name. We've talked to a number of people who know her over the last week. We hear a variety of opinions. Most people will tell us she's a nice girl. She's friendly. She's very talented. She's a piano player. She's a singer.
We also hear things like she's ambitious and also that she has emotional problems.
But, of course, that description fits an awful lot of 19 year old girls.
The bottom line here, Bill, is that we're simply going to have to wait for the prosecutor's decision, and, as we say, that could come as early as tomorrow.
HEMMER: Brian, going back about a week ago it was said that the woman, the young woman and her family had gotten out of the state, possibly taking some vacation time away. Are they back now?
CABELL: They are back. She came back a few days ago. So she is back. She has talked to her friends on the phone. We don't know whether she's gone back to work yet. We expect her to go back to college. She goes to the University of Northern Colorado. But, no, she is back in town. She's not very public, but she has talked to her friends on the telephone.
HEMMER: All right, Brian, we'll await the lab results, I guess, and some decision by the D.A., whenever that comes out.
Thanks, live in Eagle, Colorado.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
