SI has learned that prosecutors plan to subpoena a 22-year-old Florida waitress who claims she was the object of unwanted sexual advances by Bryant. Prosecutors have notified Bryant's lawyers that the woman may be called as a witness at the trial, set to begin on Aug. 27 in Eagle, Colo. Her testimony might be used by the prosecution to show that aggressive sexual actions are part of Bryant's pattern of behavior. (Pamela Mackey, Bryant's lead attorney, did not respond to SI's efforts to reach her.)
According to the Florida woman and others familiar with her allegation, she was among the employees of Orlando's Planet Hollywood restaurant who worked at a private party at O'Neal's home on Thanksgiving 2002. The Lakers were in Orlando to play the Magic, and O'Neal, who owns a 26,000-square-foot house in the city's Isleworth neighborhood, hosted a team dinner.
The woman alleges that Bryant approached her and asked for her cellphone number, which she provided. Later, Bryant asked her to get him a soft drink and bring it to him outside, which she did in the presence of another man. Bryant then cornered her and groped her private parts. She says Bryant laughed as she pushed him away, and that she retreated inside O'Neal's home and called her mother. The next day, the woman says, she received a call from a man who said he was an associate of Bryant's, apologizing for Bryant's behavior.
The woman did not initially report any of this to the police. But after Bryant was charged on July 18, 2003, she saw the news conference at which he said of his accuser, "I didn't force her to do anything against her will. I am innocent." This prompted the Florida woman to call Colorado prosecutors and report her alleged encounter with Bryant. After hearing her story, according to sources in the Los Angeles D.A.'s office, investigators from L.A. teamed with Eagle prosecutors and contacted O'Neal through his agent, Perry Rogers, and told him that O'Neal could become a witness in Bryant's case. Within hours the investigators heard from David Chesnoff, a criminal defense lawyer who said he represented O'Neal. Though the investigators assured him that his client was not a suspect, Chesnoff said O'Neal would not speak with them. O'Neal could, however, be called to testify in Colorado. (Chesnoff and Rogers told SI that they could not discuss anything related to their client.)
A subpoena was required for the Florida woman because she had decided that she did not want to be a witness in a case in which the accuser has been subjected to threats and smears. Her participation is significant, though, because it could cause Bryant's lawyers to think twice before calling their client to the stand. Under Colorado rules of evidence, the Florida woman can be called as a rebuttal witness by the prosecution, now led by Ingrid Bakke and Dana Easter -- the career sex-crime prosecutors who took over for Hurlbert. John Wolfe, a Seattle lawyer who has represented a dozen pro athletes in sexual assault cases, says it leaves Bryant and his lawyers with a "Hobson's choice: If he doesn't testify, he loses the ability to tell the jury that it was consensual sex. If he does testify, he opens the door for another accuser to allege nonconsensual sexual activity."
If the Florida woman does testify, it will be up to the jurors to decide if they see meaningful similarities between Bryant's alleged behavior in Florida and Colorado. According to documents viewed by SI, the accuser in Colorado told police that the first nonconsensual act by Bryant was the groping of her private parts. When she resisted and tried to flee, according to her statement, Bryant allegedly restrained her and blocked the door to his room.
Speaking about Bryant's case last week on Z100 radio in Portland, O'Neal said his former teammate would need a jury of rappers -- "Ludacris, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg" -- to get off. Few observers see the case as that one-sided, but Bakke and Easter may have succeeded in putting new obstacles in Bryant's path to freedom.
According to the Florida woman and others familiar with her allegation, she was among the employees of Orlando's Planet Hollywood restaurant who worked at a private party at O'Neal's home on Thanksgiving 2002. The Lakers were in Orlando to play the Magic, and O'Neal, who owns a 26,000-square-foot house in the city's Isleworth neighborhood, hosted a team dinner.
The woman alleges that Bryant approached her and asked for her cellphone number, which she provided. Later, Bryant asked her to get him a soft drink and bring it to him outside, which she did in the presence of another man. Bryant then cornered her and groped her private parts. She says Bryant laughed as she pushed him away, and that she retreated inside O'Neal's home and called her mother. The next day, the woman says, she received a call from a man who said he was an associate of Bryant's, apologizing for Bryant's behavior.
The woman did not initially report any of this to the police. But after Bryant was charged on July 18, 2003, she saw the news conference at which he said of his accuser, "I didn't force her to do anything against her will. I am innocent." This prompted the Florida woman to call Colorado prosecutors and report her alleged encounter with Bryant. After hearing her story, according to sources in the Los Angeles D.A.'s office, investigators from L.A. teamed with Eagle prosecutors and contacted O'Neal through his agent, Perry Rogers, and told him that O'Neal could become a witness in Bryant's case. Within hours the investigators heard from David Chesnoff, a criminal defense lawyer who said he represented O'Neal. Though the investigators assured him that his client was not a suspect, Chesnoff said O'Neal would not speak with them. O'Neal could, however, be called to testify in Colorado. (Chesnoff and Rogers told SI that they could not discuss anything related to their client.)
A subpoena was required for the Florida woman because she had decided that she did not want to be a witness in a case in which the accuser has been subjected to threats and smears. Her participation is significant, though, because it could cause Bryant's lawyers to think twice before calling their client to the stand. Under Colorado rules of evidence, the Florida woman can be called as a rebuttal witness by the prosecution, now led by Ingrid Bakke and Dana Easter -- the career sex-crime prosecutors who took over for Hurlbert. John Wolfe, a Seattle lawyer who has represented a dozen pro athletes in sexual assault cases, says it leaves Bryant and his lawyers with a "Hobson's choice: If he doesn't testify, he loses the ability to tell the jury that it was consensual sex. If he does testify, he opens the door for another accuser to allege nonconsensual sexual activity."
If the Florida woman does testify, it will be up to the jurors to decide if they see meaningful similarities between Bryant's alleged behavior in Florida and Colorado. According to documents viewed by SI, the accuser in Colorado told police that the first nonconsensual act by Bryant was the groping of her private parts. When she resisted and tried to flee, according to her statement, Bryant allegedly restrained her and blocked the door to his room.
Speaking about Bryant's case last week on Z100 radio in Portland, O'Neal said his former teammate would need a jury of rappers -- "Ludacris, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg" -- to get off. Few observers see the case as that one-sided, but Bakke and Easter may have succeeded in putting new obstacles in Bryant's path to freedom.
Yeah like Shaq is an unbiased 3rd party here.
sb
sb
99% of Dodobird's posts are Dodoriffic!
I'm waiting for west coast college hoops. Dodo you're pretty good in that dept.
sb
I'm waiting for west coast college hoops. Dodo you're pretty good in that dept.
sb
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Her testimony might be used by the prosecution to show that aggressive sexual actions are part of Bryant's pattern of behavior. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
They don't need a police report for that. It is not another charge against Bryant, all they need is one witness to back up her story and they achieve their goal.
They don't need a police report for that. It is not another charge against Bryant, all they need is one witness to back up her story and they achieve their goal.
railbird - please describe your legal training, if any? i didn't think so.
also, where did you get the figure that 99% do not report. didn't think so.
also, do you understand that without a police report, the complaint 4 months later means nothing? sorry to burst your bubble, but unfortunately, you have NO EVIDENCE against this black man. sorry to tell ya, railracist.
also, where did you get the figure that 99% do not report. didn't think so.
also, do you understand that without a police report, the complaint 4 months later means nothing? sorry to burst your bubble, but unfortunately, you have NO EVIDENCE against this black man. sorry to tell ya, railracist.
Railbird
posted August 03, 2004 06:00 PM
99% of the girls that get felt up dont report it to police ,dirtbag
Posts: 3888 | Registered: May 10, 2003
How would you know this, Rail? Personal experience? I mean, do you report all the time you get felt up while passing out cheesepuffs?
ID,
Rail has no legal experience.... besides being arrested for vagrancy.
posted August 03, 2004 06:00 PM
99% of the girls that get felt up dont report it to police ,dirtbag
Posts: 3888 | Registered: May 10, 2003
How would you know this, Rail? Personal experience? I mean, do you report all the time you get felt up while passing out cheesepuffs?
ID,
Rail has no legal experience.... besides being arrested for vagrancy.
The last time Railbird/jj approached a woman, he had
a hockey mask on and a chainsaw in his hand.what he would
know?!
As for Kobe,if her past sexual history is out of bounds,why
should his be put up to scrutiny?!The only bits about her
sexual history,have to do with witness bias(the guy she first
reported the rape to, she also boinked)and her emotional
state right after alleged rape,having sex within 24 hours
of the rape would be rather strange behaviour for a rape
victim.
Ciao,from Maria
a hockey mask on and a chainsaw in his hand.what he would
know?!
As for Kobe,if her past sexual history is out of bounds,why
should his be put up to scrutiny?!The only bits about her
sexual history,have to do with witness bias(the guy she first
reported the rape to, she also boinked)and her emotional
state right after alleged rape,having sex within 24 hours
of the rape would be rather strange behaviour for a rape
victim.
Ciao,from Maria
The defense can call witnesses that claim they had sex with her before she had the rape analysis done which I believe was 3 days after the fake rape - the defense intends to call her boyfriend at the time and a bellman at the hotel - they are supposed to testify that they banged her with days after the traumatic rape - the case is over - it's time for the DA to file false rape charges against this freeloader - the judge has yet to rule whether two prior suicide attempts are admissible.
