Bryant Avoided a Count
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Authorities looking to arrest Kobe Bryant on a sexual assault charge also wanted to charge him with false imprisonment, according to a copy of the arrest warrant unsealed today. The documents released by a judge provide a glimpse into how authorities put together their case. Bryant, a Los Angeles Lakers guard and an N.B.A. All-Star, was charged with a single count of felony sexual assault alleging that he raped an employee at a Colorado resort where he was a guest on June 30. Bryant has said the two had consensual sex. A preliminary hearing Oct. 9 will determine whether the case will go to trial. While Bryant was charged with only sexual assault, the July 3 arrest warrant said there was probable cause he was also guilty of false imprisonment, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. The decision to charge Bryant with only the sexual assault count was made by Mark D. Hurlbert, the district attorney for the Fifth Judicial District. He has not explained why he pressed just one charge. More : query.nytimes.com |