Kobe has his "Street Cred"

[vansmack]

Charges pressed by DA after two weeks of deliberation
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ESPN.com news services
 
 
 EAGLE, Colo. -- Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has been charged with one count of felony sexual assault, Eagle County prosecutor Mark Hurlbert announced today after two weeks of deliberation.
 
 Bryant will face four years to life in prison, if convicted.
 
 Bryant's Denver-based attorney, Pamela Mackey, has scheduled a news conference at 9 p.m. ET time tonight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, but there is no word whether Bryant will be there. Mackey also released a statement on Bryant's behalf shortly after the announcement.
 
 "I am innocent of the charges filed today. I did not assault the woman who is accusing me," Bryant said in the statement. "I made the mistake of adultery. I have to answer to my wife and my God for my actions that night and I pray that both will forgive me. ... Nothing that happened June 30th was against the will of the woman who now falsely accuses me."
 
 Bryant, 24, turned himself in to authorities July 4 and was released on $25,000 bond. The woman claims he attacked her at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in nearby Edwards on June 30.
 
 His attorney has said the five-time NBA All-Star is innocent and was in Colorado for knee surgery at a Vail clinic. In a brief interview with the Los Angeles Times last week, Bryant said he "would never do something like that.''
 
 Bryant attended the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, but avoided the media in his first public appearance since his arrest. He sat in the audience smiling and laughing with his wife, Vanessa.
 
 The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[mankie]

Oh I'm sure he'll get off with him being a sports celebrity and all.

[vansmack]

Originally posted by mankie:
  Oh I'm sure he'll get off with him being a sports celebrity and all.

I'm thinking there's a settlement in the works, but I'm going to do some research about who can dismiss criminal charges in Colorado.  If only the DA can, a settlement means nothing.  Maybe a reduced sentence for some $$$ to the victim, I'm not sure yet.

[mankie]

He'll get off scot free with the criminal case, then she'll sue him in civil court and that's when the settlement will come into play.

[Shadrach]

Originally posted by mankie:
  Oh I'm sure he'll get off with him being a sports celebrity and all.

Kind of the way Mike Tyson got off?

[Yank]

Originally posted by mankie:
  Oh I'm sure he'll get off with him being a sports celebrity and all.

He did get off....that's the problem!  Oh, you mean set free.  There's no doubt in my mind justice will be served!   :roll:

[mankie]

Originally posted by Shadrach:
 

 Kind of the way Mike Tyson got off?
 
 [/b]

EXACTLY! If it were you or I we'd be doing 20 to life.

[Shadrach]

Originally posted by mankie:
   

Originally posted by Shadrach:
 

 Kind of the way Mike Tyson got off?
 
 [/b]

EXACTLY! If it were you or I we'd be doing 20 to life. [/b]

My point was that Tyson didn't get off. He went to prison. So sometimes all the money and celebrity in the world won't keep you out of jail.

[Guiny]

He'll get off because he's innocent of the charges.
 
 

Originally posted by mankie:
  Oh I'm sure he'll get off with him being a sports celebrity and all.

[Jaguär]

And we've learned that Mankie now officially has his 'street cred' in the state of Virginia.

[Celeste]

I don't even think he did it. This is just someone trying to cash in. Kobe doesn't need to rape anyone, he probably has women throwing themselves at him all the time, and he has never shown a side that would indicate a propensity to violence or rape. I feel sorry for him--right now.

[ggw]

Originally posted by Celeste:
  I don't even think he did it. This is just someone trying to cash in. Kobe doesn't need to rape anyone, he probably has women throwing themselves at him all the time, and he has never shown a side that would indicate a propensity to violence or rape. I feel sorry for him--right now.

Oh sure.....blame the victim.
 
 Kobe caught the jungle fever and now he's going down.

[mankie]

Originally posted by Celeste:
  I don't even think he did it. This is just someone trying to cash in. Kobe doesn't need to rape anyone, he probably has women throwing themselves at him all the time, and he has never shown a side that would indicate a propensity to violence or rape. I feel sorry for him--right now.

Maybe he has the usual spoiled overpaid athlete attitude....I'm (put famous athletic celeb name here)...I can do what I want bitch, I can afford the best lawyers out there to get me off the charges, now get it in your mouth.
 
 Just because a young woman goes to an athletes hotel room doesn't mean she deserves to get sexually assaulted....(if he did it)...doesn't even mean she wanted a bit of the hockey-pockey. Markie hangs off singers etc all the time, but he may not want to sleep with them all!

[Celeste]

I stand by my opinion til I hear more. It just doesn't add up...

[mankie]

Originally posted by Celeste:
  I stand by my opinion til I hear more. It just doesn't add up...

I wasn't trying to change your opinion.
 
 Just because it's an athlete who has a squeaky reputation, he could still have done it, and the fact they took two weeks to press charges means they've done their homework on the case so there must be something, and a sexual assault case is harder for the victim to prove than any other crime.
 
 I'm not saying he did it...I'm just not jumping on the "Kolbe would never do such a thing" bandwagon.