Bryant's lawyers want info

2004-03-16 12:33

Denver, Colorado - US basketball star Kobe Bryant's lawyers are demanding to know whether his rape accuser plans to sue the Los Angeles Lakers player or write a book about her ordeal, court papers showed on Monday.

The superstar's aggressive legal team filed court papers on Friday seeking to force prosecutors to turn over alleged evidence about the 19-year-old alleged victim that they say could help Bryant's defence.

Bryant is accused of raping the former hotel employee in his room at a mountain resort in Eagle County in the western state of Colorado on June 30 last year.

The latest Bryant defence salvo states that the athlete's lawyers have been seeking extensive information from the prosecution since September 15, with little to show for it.

Among the extensive wish-list of information sought by the National Basketball Association star's attorneys is anything "regarding the accuser's plans to file a civil suit", as well as "all information concerning the accuser's plans to publish a book".

Also on the list of so-called discovery documents is a call for "all information concerning the woman's "drug use and/or addiction(s) in 2003 and 2004" and data linked to "any potential witnesses' refusal to provide DNA samples." It was stated during Bryant's preliminary hearing that two men have declined to do so.

"Not only has the prosecution failed to provide the requested material, it has failed to provide any response at all to the requests," attorney Hal Haddon's motion stated, adding that the defence had sent seven letters to prosecutors over the last six months.

John Clune, an attorney representing Bryant's alleged victim, declined to comment on the latest defence motion that came during a string of pre-trial hearings aimed at shaping what evidence Bryant's trial jury will hear.

But Dan Recht, a senior Colorado defence attorney, stressed that the request for information does not mean such material exists.

"They can say, 'if such and such document exists, we want it. We don't know if it exists, but if it exists, they have an obligation to give it to us'," said Recht.

"The defence has a right to request anything that might be considered exculpatory to the defendant."

The married Bryant, 25, strongly denies the charge of sexual asault that could see him jailed for life if convicted, but admits to consensual sex with the woman.

Bryant's lawyers have worked doggedly to discredit the victim and her motives for making the rape allegation ahead of the sensational trial of the athlete, a date for which has not yet been set.

Bryant is due back in Eagle County District Court for another pretrial motions hearing on March 24 and 25.

At that hearing, Bryant's alleged victim is scheduled to testify - with no members of the press or public present.

- AFP