More demands in Bryant case
2003-08-26 14:14
Colorado - A lawyer who is worried that his 11-year-old son, a basketball fan, will see explicit sexual material on television during the Kobe Bryant case has asked a judge to prohibit cameras in the courtroom for the basketball star's October 9 preliminary hearing.
John Thompson of Coral Gables, Florida, told Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett in a court filing on Monday that the hearing could include detailed allegations about what happened at the resort hotel where Bryant is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old worker on June 30.
Bryant, 25, a Los Angeles Lakers guard, is charged with felony sexual assault. He has said he had consensual sex with the woman.
"This court cannot and must not ignore, as if they did not exist, the rights and wishes of millions of parents, inside and outside this country, to raise their children free of the intruding details of rape that we now can expect to see on ESPN's SportsCenter sandwiched between the Major League Baseball highlights," Thompson wrote.
If Gannett denies the request, Thompson asked him to require a delay of at least 10 seconds for a live broadcast from the hearing to allow a court-appointed official to delete sexually explicit material.
Gannett allowed cameras in the courtroom for Bryant's initial court appearance on August 6 over the objections of defence attorneys but has not said when he might rule on the latest request.
He has threatened to bar from his courtroom news organisations that identify Bryant's accuser.
- AP