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Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit

By Jeralyn, Section Kobe Bryant Case
Posted on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 05:19:37 PM EST
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MSNBC reports that Kobe Bryant and his accuser have settled their civil lawsuit...in time for Kobe to avoid being deposed on Friday. Smart move by both. Kobe can afford to settle and the accuser, now married and expecting, needs to get past whatever happened that night and move on with her life.

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    Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit | 22 comments (22 topical)
    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 07:43:37 PM EST
    Always seemed like a weak case to me. Everyone wins, except the taxpayers of Colorado. What was the tab on this prosecution? 15 minutes of fame for some prosecutor. Don't worry about it, we'll foot the bill.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 08:20:49 PM EST
    Now that is what real money can do!

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 08:25:09 PM EST
    I wouldn't exactly call Kobe Bryant a winner in this case. He had his reputation destroyed and will lose millions in indorsements over charges that wouldn't hold up in court. IMO, the media ought to back off and let the courts dispense justice. I'd be willing to wait for the story if it meant protecting the accused's rights.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 09:07:52 PM EST
    Did you hear that? That was the gavel of American-style celebrity justice coming down. Thanks to the media, irresponsible criminal prosecution, Mr. Bryant's decision to allow the economic realities of the civil system to influence his desire to defend himself, and a civil system inclined to give money to people without any substantial burden of proof; Mr. Bryant is now de-facto guilty, as far as the nation is concerned, of the full charge of aggravated rape and assault....and no amount of evidence will prove otherwise to the "guilty until proven innocent" crowd. Now, if JUSTICE were a concern, having settled the civil suit with "the victim" (who is not legally a victim and whom I should have the ability to name on this site now that the entire fiasco is over with but won't because I know better), Mr. Bryant should be able to sue (and win against) every lying pundit aka pretend journalist aka societal engineer aka propagandist that implies/has implied he has been proven guilty of a crime through due process of law. And no, I don't automatically believe the journalist who says he has a tape of Bush's days spent smoking weed. I suspect its true, but then, I'd probably exercise discretion and perform due dilligence before speaking in absolutes if I went to work everyday behind a microphone that transmits the sound of my voice to 300 million impressionable people, endorsed/sponsored/brought to "air" by the "wholesome" consumer product companies that define the majority of U.S. citizen's collective self esteem.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 09:20:56 PM EST
    Tampa, I don't think the settlement of the civil suit will affect anyone's opinion of Kobe. I think most people will view it as a nuisance settlement. He has plenty of money. His reputation is not in tatters. The criminal case was dismissed. Will he get endorsements again? In a few years, very possibly. But financially, that's not a big deal given his $130+ million contract. Kobe is young. People forget. They make comebacks. Look at Martha Stewart. Look at Hugh Grant even... A settlement of this case is a win for everyone, including the public who can now stop talking about it. Kobe will be just fine. The only thing he has to worry about is becoming a target of some woman in the future who thinks because of this settlement, she can make the same charge and make the same bucks. He'll need to watch the company he keeps.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 09:41:16 PM EST
    Talk Left, thank you for responding. I don't write out of any concern for Mr. Bryant's financial situation. While the hard news media will most definitely drop the siege (until Mr. Bryant gets his next speeding ticket),the uber conservative sports media will perpetually reset this fiasco in the same light suffered by other athletes (such as Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis). Funny how they're all african americans. Oops, there went the race card. I guess since the "race card" has been played, nothing else said can be credible - especially anything with regards to the media's editorial discretion covering african american athletes who have suffered legal/quasi-legal conflicts (Barry Bonds). God knows racial discrimination has been over since 1964. /sarcasm off He very well may get endorsements. That doesn't mean that any form of justice has been served. I'm sure that you are acquainted with Mr. Bryant's lawyers; for what its worth, it does seem that he had excellent representation.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 10:49:41 PM EST
    Talk Left I love you, but you are wrong, justice is nothing but a race/political "deal", and nothing more. But Kobe just did what i would have done; prison is a cold Place. oh yes its also used for entertainment someday i want to be that entertainment, no,no only joking, "not prison" help! much love, and people be happy.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 06:13:32 AM EST
    yeah there is a lot of comparison between the white collar crime of Martha Stewart, the victimless crime of Hugh Grant and the sexual assault of Bryant..

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 06:20:30 AM EST
    Smells like a shakedown to me.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 07:52:21 AM EST
    Tampa Student I agree with you I hate that Kobe settled but at the same time I can't say I blame him he'll never be "cleared" even if he won the civil case. It would just mean she didn't prove her claim well enough. I'm not concerned about his earning power I am concerned about the truly frightening fact that a woman can lie about something like this and get away with it if Kobe were poor he'd be dead or in prison right now. People fail to think of that. And the rape victims that were disgraced. Its depressing.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#11)
    by kdog on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 10:18:15 AM EST
    Then again, if Kobe were poor, he probably wouldn't have been accused in the first place (no payday at the end of the rainbow). Obviously, I think the claims were false, and false claims do a tremendous disservice to real victims. Shame on all gold diggers.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 11:29:43 AM EST
    I guess "Pat the victim on her head, tell her to enjoy her cash, and get over it" isn't quite the same thing as "Blaming the Victim" Close. Very close. But not quite.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 02:31:24 PM EST
    I bet it'd have been cheaper to hire Robert Blake. . .

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 06:11:00 PM EST
    Blame the victim?? Not the democrats! I mean, c'mon. Its not like the victim was intimidated into dropping her criminal suit, right? Her identity wasn't illegaly revealed, her deposition wasn't leaked, sealed evidence was never leaked, her sex life wasn't leaked... C'mon, its not like this was quite possibly the dirtiest, smear-happy, rape victim-attacking defense of all time! And Kobe never LIED to the cops, right?? (tell me he didn't!!) As democrats, we have the duty to take the side of the minority (especially a celebrity minority), regardless of the evidence. And we will prove it to you that said minorities are infallible, whether it means illegaly smearing a rape victim or not! Seriously though, I agree with Fred for once. Now that is what real money can do!

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 06:17:23 PM EST
    PS: no means NO, stop means STOP, innocense is NOT smearing a rape-victim, and you NEVER lie to cops and expect anyone believe you're innocent. If his repuatation suffers, GOOD. He brought it on himself.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 08:53:03 PM EST
    Smearing a rape victim?First of all there was never a victim since this case never went to trial. And anything bad that came out about her was of her own doing just like any indiscretions of Kobe's was all on him. I don't believe he raped this {insult deleted] and IMO he was railroaded into all this and its a damn shame. Its one thing to be an adulterer its another to be a rapist and any pity I have for him is that his reputation was ruined over a false rape claim. Nobody deserves that! Its like saying a woman deserves to be raped for putting herself in a situation that leads to it. I hate women who pull this sh*t if it were up to me women who lie about being raped would serve a 20 to life sentence for it like any rapist would.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 10:57:58 PM EST
    Ditto, Canaryfan. Cases like this make life a lot harder for all of the legitimate rape victims out there. If it doesn't prevent them from coming forward, it poisons the well for their credibility.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 03, 2005 at 08:54:06 AM EST
    If his reputation suffers, GOOD. He brought it on himself.
    prior to the resolution of this case he signed a $130m contract with a sizable signing bonus. J.Buss ain't no dummy, the settlement has been a done deal for some time. whats the matter with believing that gold diggers exist and are predatory. you probably believe your mate is with you because they like you, probably, but only a small portion. in agreement though, not feeling kobe, he deserves whatever he gets, he should have been smarter.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 03, 2005 at 01:36:10 PM EST
    Kobe might have paid her, but I can assure you that it wasen't much. After all the humiliation she put her self and her family through with this accusation, she sure didn't score the huge "payday" she was looking for. Who's to say if she gave consent? She gave consent to the bellhop and another 17 year old guy in the same week, but yet told Kobe "NO"? She does need to get on with her life and getting married gave her a new name, she should now try to live a little less complicated.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 03, 2005 at 04:31:35 PM EST
    I've heard that the professional sports organizations provide classes for the rookies on how to avoid such things, which implies warning them about what's coming. But a lot of these guys haven't listened to anybody since they were about fourteen and showed the high school coach the potential for all-state. When they get a multi-mill contract their first year, the idea that anybody can tell them anything must seem quaint.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Mar 04, 2005 at 06:03:30 AM EST
    He deserves whatever he gets? So if he was falsely accused of rape you think he deserves that? For what having an extramarital affair? Are U kidding me! Look if this was just adultery and no rape accusation then yes I completely agree but to say a man deserves to be accused of a rape he didn't commit because he showed bad judgment is like saying a woman deserves to be raped because she put herself in a position for that to happen. Would you say she deserved what she got? I highly doubt it but yet its okay for a man to be falsely accused though right? Because after all he put himself in that position if he didn't it wouldn't have happened. Yet if a woman does that and is raped I should feel pity for her even though you could say the same thing? Nice to know we don't live in a country of double standards on this issue WTFever.

    Re: Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 02:35:51 AM EST
    the only victim was kobe. she had her chance to have her day in court. she preferred to have that day in civil rather than criminal court. she was looking for a payday from day one. there were more lies on her side, than from kobe's side. the only victim was kobe, and kdog is right. this was a shakedown. madness. absolute madness... just like how the michael jackson trial -- more grifters in action --is turning out. i guess bill cosby is next. unbelieveable.

    Kobe Bryant and Accuser Settle Lawsuit | 22 comments (22 topical)