Kobe Bryant: Judges Orders Warrant Documents Remain Sealed
Bump and Update: Judge Fred Gannett in Eagle, Colorado makes the right decision. Here is the text of his order. The search warrants, affidavits and the affidavit for the arrest warrant will stay sealed at least until Kobe is acquitted, convicted or the case is dismissed. Even thereafter, Kobe can move to keep them sealed. Disclosure of the documents now would be contrary to the public interest and would be unduly prejudicial to Kobe's Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial.
The best part of the Order is the last full paragraph on page 12. We highly recommend reading it.
Other documents that do not contain factual information about the case will be released. This includes the arrest warrant (again, not the affidavit which contains the reasons for the arrest warrant), the bond and appearance documents, the request for non-testimonial identification evidence (which Kobe complied with and which also are devoid of facts) and the like. Even the affidavit for the request for non-testimonial identificiation evidence stays sealed.
We don't understand why the media is playing this up like the Judge ruled for them. Clearly, he ruled for Kobe and his right to a fair trial.
Update: Some better reporting in the morning editions of the papers here and here. This AP story is good.
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The Judge in the Kobe Bryant case says his office is typing up his decision on unsealing arrest-related documents in the Kobe Bryant case this afternoon. His decision will be released late today or tomorrow.
The decision will be available here.
In other Kobe related news, a 22 year old from Iowa has been arrested and indicted by a Colorado federal grand jury for making threatening to kill Kobe's accuser.
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