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CNN Live At Daybreak
Kobe Bryant Pretrial Hearing Today
Aired December 19, 2003 - 06:01 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Now in Eagle, Colorado, Kobe Bryant is dressed for court today, as attorneys begin arguing over what evidence can be presented in his sexual assault case.
CNN's Keith Oppenheim is live in Eagle with more details.
Keith -- pretty interesting that the defense attorneys are going to be asking for the medical records of the alleged victim.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's on a long list of things that they want the jury to hear about today and in the future motion hearings to come.
This is really getting down to the nitty-gritty. It's the pretrial battle ground, where both sides will try to find out what evidence can get or may not get to a jury's eyes and ears. And success or failure here can make all the difference as to whether or not Kobe Bryant is ultimately convicted or acquitted.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM (voice-over): Kobe Bryant's defense team hopes to present to a jury details about the accuser's medical and sexual history. Last June when the accuser was working at this mountain resort, she met Bryant just before he underwent knee surgery. Bryant claims the sex was consensual. The accuser says it was not.
In court documents, defense attorneys claim the accuser has been suicidal and on anti-psychotic medication. And if the prosecution's case is based on injuries Bryant may have caused his accuser, the defense is trying to get around Colorado's rape shield law and introduce evidence about other men the accuser may have had sex with right around the time she met Bryant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That they are claiming that somebody else may have caused that injury right before Kobe Bryant, and then some third man may have aggravated the injury after her sexual encounter with Kobe Bryant.
OPPENHEIM: Credibility is crucial in a case like this, and anything the defense can get into trial about the accuser's life could be significant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are looking at a set of motions that the prosecution desperately needs to win to keep evidence away from a jury.
OPPENHEIM: Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant's father has, for the first time, spoken publicly about his son's legal troubles.
JOE BRYANT, KOBE BRYANT'S FATHER: He's a special young man. I mean, he's very worldly and very intelligent, and I think they'll get through all of this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM: And, Carol, we should note that the defense alone has filed 17 motions in this case, and it will likely take weeks before trial judge, Terry Ruckriegle, has sorted through all of the decisions that will shape what will be and what will be presented at trial.
Back to you.
LIN: All right, thank you very much, Keith Oppenheim, reporting 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 December 19, 2003 - 06:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Now in Eagle, Colorado, Kobe Bryant is dressed for court today, as attorneys begin arguing over what evidence can be presented in his sexual assault case.
CNN's Keith Oppenheim is live in Eagle with more details.
Keith -- pretty interesting that the defense attorneys are going to be asking for the medical records of the alleged victim.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's on a long list of things that they want the jury to hear about today and in the future motion hearings to come.
This is really getting down to the nitty-gritty. It's the pretrial battle ground, where both sides will try to find out what evidence can get or may not get to a jury's eyes and ears. And success or failure here can make all the difference as to whether or not Kobe Bryant is ultimately convicted or acquitted.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM (voice-over): Kobe Bryant's defense team hopes to present to a jury details about the accuser's medical and sexual history. Last June when the accuser was working at this mountain resort, she met Bryant just before he underwent knee surgery. Bryant claims the sex was consensual. The accuser says it was not.
In court documents, defense attorneys claim the accuser has been suicidal and on anti-psychotic medication. And if the prosecution's case is based on injuries Bryant may have caused his accuser, the defense is trying to get around Colorado's rape shield law and introduce evidence about other men the accuser may have had sex with right around the time she met Bryant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That they are claiming that somebody else may have caused that injury right before Kobe Bryant, and then some third man may have aggravated the injury after her sexual encounter with Kobe Bryant.
OPPENHEIM: Credibility is crucial in a case like this, and anything the defense can get into trial about the accuser's life could be significant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are looking at a set of motions that the prosecution desperately needs to win to keep evidence away from a jury.
OPPENHEIM: Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant's father has, for the first time, spoken publicly about his son's legal troubles.
JOE BRYANT, KOBE BRYANT'S FATHER: He's a special young man. I mean, he's very worldly and very intelligent, and I think they'll get through all of this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM: And, Carol, we should note that the defense alone has filed 17 motions in this case, and it will likely take weeks before trial judge, Terry Ruckriegle, has sorted through all of the decisions that will shape what will be and what will be presented at trial.
Back to you.
LIN: All right, thank you very much, Keith Oppenheim, reporting 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.
