The defense in the Kobe Bryant case denies leaking information about the accuser to a retired judge as previously reported.

This troubles us: The prosecution is seeking to have all future pleadings in the case that refer to evidence in the case filed under seal. This is wrong, and there is a much fairer way to accomplish the goal. Each side should file two versions of any pleading containing information that shoud not be made public--one of which is the entire pleading, filed under seal, and the other is a redacted version for the public, with just the sensitive material deleted and so noted. This was done in the Oklahoma bombing trials and it worked well.

To seal all evidentiary pleadings in their entirety is contrary to the public's right to know and the First Amendment. We hope the media lawyers get right on opposing it.

In other Kobe case news, the new issue of the Globe will not only be running the accuser's picture again, but making an explosive allegation that she had sex with a certain prosecution witness who is critical to the prosecution's case not long before the incident with Kobe.

All Kobe pleadings are available at the court's website here. Read them while you still can.