Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Preliminary Hearing in Kobe Bryant Case

Aired October 09, 2003 - 05:03   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A preliminary hearing today in the Kobe Bryant case is to decide if there is enough evidence for a trial. But defense attorneys could still get the hearing canceled.
CNN's Gary Tuchman explains why they'd want to do that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kobe Bryant is getting ready for the upcoming NBA season, which in a worst case scenario for him, could be his last NBA season.

KOBE BRYANT, L.A. LAKERS: I mean in this world people think like the set of a game is pressure. Are you kidding me?

TUCHMAN: A guilty verdict on felony sexual assault carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and the 25-year-old Lakers star provided the first hint of what his defense might be.

BRYANT: I didn't force her to do anything against her will. I'm innocent.

LARRY POZNER, COLORADO ATTORNEY: We know a lot that's important. We know that it's a consent defense, which means he's going to say yes, there was contact, or even, yes, there was sexual contact, but at the time of the contact, it was with her will, too.

TUCHMAN: And what is known of the prosecution's case against Bryant?

MARK HURLBERT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I feel that after reviewing the evidence, after looking at the evidence, that I can prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.

TUCHMAN: District Attorney Mark Hurlbert has expressed confidence in his evidence, which includes photographs of the 19-year- old accuser after she was allegedly sexually assaulted.

DAVID LUGERT, COLORADO ATTORNEY: We only know in a theoretical sense that the D.A. claims he has evidence with respect to injuries that will demonstrate and corroborate the victim's claim that she was forcibly raped.

TUCHMAN: The prosecutor also says he has an audiotape of Kobe Bryant being interviewed about that night and a videotape interview with the woman. But that leads to another question.

POZNER: Knowing that the D.A. has a tape doesn't tell us anything. What's on the tape?

TUCHMAN (on camera): The answer to that question might be made public at the preliminary hearing, if it's held. If Kobe Bryant's attorneys feel what the public learns from the hearing will hurt their client, they have the right to have it canceled and they could make that decision up until the very last minute.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Eagle County.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And we'll get expert insight into the Bryant case in the next hour of DAYBREAK, when our legal analyst Kendall Coffey will join us live.

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 October 9, 2003 - 05:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A preliminary hearing today in the Kobe Bryant case is to decide if there is enough evidence for a trial. But defense attorneys could still get the hearing canceled.
CNN's Gary Tuchman explains why they'd want to do that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kobe Bryant is getting ready for the upcoming NBA season, which in a worst case scenario for him, could be his last NBA season.

KOBE BRYANT, L.A. LAKERS: I mean in this world people think like the set of a game is pressure. Are you kidding me?

TUCHMAN: A guilty verdict on felony sexual assault carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and the 25-year-old Lakers star provided the first hint of what his defense might be.

BRYANT: I didn't force her to do anything against her will. I'm innocent.

LARRY POZNER, COLORADO ATTORNEY: We know a lot that's important. We know that it's a consent defense, which means he's going to say yes, there was contact, or even, yes, there was sexual contact, but at the time of the contact, it was with her will, too.

TUCHMAN: And what is known of the prosecution's case against Bryant?

MARK HURLBERT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I feel that after reviewing the evidence, after looking at the evidence, that I can prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.

TUCHMAN: District Attorney Mark Hurlbert has expressed confidence in his evidence, which includes photographs of the 19-year- old accuser after she was allegedly sexually assaulted.

DAVID LUGERT, COLORADO ATTORNEY: We only know in a theoretical sense that the D.A. claims he has evidence with respect to injuries that will demonstrate and corroborate the victim's claim that she was forcibly raped.

TUCHMAN: The prosecutor also says he has an audiotape of Kobe Bryant being interviewed about that night and a videotape interview with the woman. But that leads to another question.

POZNER: Knowing that the D.A. has a tape doesn't tell us anything. What's on the tape?

TUCHMAN (on camera): The answer to that question might be made public at the preliminary hearing, if it's held. If Kobe Bryant's attorneys feel what the public learns from the hearing will hurt their client, they have the right to have it canceled and they could make that decision up until the very last minute.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Eagle County.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And we'll get expert insight into the Bryant case in the next hour of DAYBREAK, when our legal analyst Kendall Coffey will join us live.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com