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Bryant defense drops bid to seal evidence

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    News Media Update         COLORADO         Secret Courts    

Bryant defense drops bid to seal evidence

  • Kobe Bryant’s attorneys are no longer arguing that the NBA star would “suffer real, immediate and irreparable injury” if the court records in his rape case are released.

Sep. 28, 2004 — Kobe Bryant’s attorneys decided Monday to drop their bid to permanently seal evidence in the NBA star’s rape case because, they argued in a court filing, the details likely would be leaked anyway and the documents would reveal prosecutorial misconduct.

It remains unclear whether Colorado District Judge Richard Hart will open the files after the defense’s court filing Monday.

Colorado District Judge Richard Hart temporarily sealed the records Sept. 8 after Bryant’s attorney, Pamela Mackey, convinced the judge that Bryant would “suffer real, immediate and irreparable injury” if the records were released.

District Attorney Mark Hurlbert dropped a felony sexual assault charge against Bryant Sept. 1 at the request of the victim. Hurlbert said evidence and documents in the case should be released, saying the public’s interest in reviewing actions and decisions by prosecutors and the judge outweighed Bryant’s privacy concerns, the Associated Press reported.

(Colorado v. Bryant) KC

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