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Sources: bruising, vaginal trauma in Bryant case
By David Williams/Special to the Aspen Daily News


EAGLE - District Attorney Mark Hurlbert will present evidence of vaginal trauma and bruising around the neck of the alleged victim at the Oct. 9 preliminary hearing in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, The Vail Trail is reporting.

Hurlbert filed a motion last week aimed at blocking a defense bid to compel Byrant's accuser to testify at the upcoming preliminary hearing, stating in the motion that he would present photos of the 19-year-old alleged victim's injuries.

Hurlbert also said he would put Eagle County Sheriff's Detective Doug Winters on the stand to testify about the injuries and the findings of a medical examination shortly after the June 30 incident.

The Vail Trail learned that those injuries include evidence of bruising around the alleged victim's neck and vaginal trauma, the weekly newspaper reported on its Web site Wednesday night.

Officials could not comment because Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett has ordered court and law enforcement officers involved in the case not to discuss sensitive information with the media.

Bryant, a superstar guard with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, faces a charge of third-degree sexual assault in connection with the incident that occurred at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera near Edwards prior to his July 1 knee surgery at Vail's Steadman Hawkins Clinic.

If convicted, he faces between four and 40 years in prison.

Bryant is maintaining his innocence, admitting only that he had consensual sex with the Eagle Valley High School graduate, who was a college student working as a concierge at the hotel over the summer. Bryant is free on a $25,000 bond.

The purpose of the Oct. 9 preliminary hearing is to determine if there is probable cause for a trial. If the judge decides there is enough evidence, he will send the case up to Eagle County District Court, where a trial date will be set.

In addition to the photos and the testimony of Winters, Hurlbert also plans to play an enhanced videotape of an interview with Bryant and a videotaped interview of the alleged victim.

According to Hurlbert's motion, the DA's office will "provide photos of the victim's injuries from the medical examination, and, through Detective Winters, an explanation of the significance of those injuries," as provided by a clinical forensic nurse specialist.

(Editor's note: David O. Williams is the editor of The Vail Trail, which publishes on Fridays.)