Posted on 07/14/2003 10:32:41 AM PDT by bedolido
E A G L E, Colo., July 14— The nation knows basketball player Kobe Bryant's accuser only as a namless 19 year-old hotel worker, but her hometown friend says everyone in the small town of Eagle, Colo., knows exactly who she is and what she has been through.
Starlene Bray, a friend of the alleged victim, says the young woman is upset over a media stakeout outside her home and reports of emotional difficulties she's recently suffered.
"She's kind of in hiding right now," said Starlene Bray on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "She's been back and forth from Denver, kind of trying to avoid the media and the press right now," she said.
Bray says it seems as if everyone in the town of Eagle, a community of just 3,700 people, knows that her friend is the young woman who has accused Bryant of sexual assualt. And reports of the young woman's emotional problems has made the attention even worse, says Bray.
A recent story in the Vail Daily newspaper reported that the young woman sought doctor's care this spring for serious emotional problems that resulted from the death of a friend and a breakup.
Bray, 19, says it's true that her friend did seek help, but she says that had nothing to do with the young woman's allegations against Bryant.
"She did seek some medical help," Bray says. "She knew she needed it, so she went and got it. She was definitely emotionally fragile, but I don't think it had anything to do with what happened," she said.
Bryant's accuser, a former high school cheerleader, says the 24-year-old NBA star attacked her while he was staying at the hotel where she works on June 30. The media has not released her name because of policies intended to protect the privacy of victims of alleged sex crimes.
Reporters Flock to Small Town
Meanwhile, a steady stream of reporters from around the country have been circling the cul-de-sac where the young woman's middle-class home is located.
The young blonde has been described by her friends as a talented piano player. She sang in her high school choir and tried out for American Idol.
Bray described the young woman as "a good friend, trustworthy, thoughtful, warm-hearted."
Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has been accused of sexual assault. In a newspaper interview, he said he "would never do something like that." (ABCNEWS.com)
Officials at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in Edwards, Colo., where the young woman claims the attack took place, say Bryant was a guest there June 30-July 2. Byrant was in Colorado for knee surgery at a Vail clinic.
Bryant surrendered to authorities on July 4 and was released after posting $25,000 bond. Prosecutors have said they expect to decide this week whether to file charges. Bryant's attorney says he is innocent.
Bryant Proclaims Innocence
Bryant denied the allegations and said he "would never do something like that," in a story printed in Sunday's Los Angeles Times "When everything comes clean, it will all be fine, you'll see," Bryant said.
Bray says she has no doubts about her friend's story.
"Well, when I first talked to her, she seemed really distraught in the fact that it had happened to her," Bray said. "She didn't know what was going to happen to her. She was just scared," she said.
Bray says the young woman encouraged her to speak publicly "to tell everybody who she was and what kind of person she was and to try to get the newspapers and everything like that to settle down on her."
There was nothing in OJ Simpson's well-groomed past, either. That's why many of us who grew up idolizing him were astounded when his case unfolded before our eyes. Some of us even prayed he wouldn't harm himself in back of the Bronco, only to later regret that he received such a "fair" trial.
What you know about Kobe Bryant is all you're supposed to know. His well-crafted and highly-polished public persona may or may not fully represent his private life. That's why he was able for a week or so to laugh this whole thing off by telling reporters that they know him and he shouldn't have to explain anything. We only see a veneer; there's more to people that we don't usually get to see. Except in times like this.
We'll find out the truth when documents are unsealed, pictures are shown, and someone -- the accused or the accuser, since she has been so savagely impugned by others -- is shown to be telling the truth.
She's a hotel concierge. She has business going places, including guests' rooms if so summoned, in the hotel where she works. It's not necessarily a morals/smarts issue.
He was then Attorney General.
She never laughed about the event afterwards and certainly didn't "brag" about it.
So you're going to believe what people tell Katie Couric on national television more than what's contained in the case folder (which remains sealed) or what either team and the investigators have discovered?
What incontrovertible evidence do you actually have to support such claims, other than hearsay offered to NY faces with satellite trucks? And even if the young lady has had some recent traumas, how would that make the possibility of another (in the form of sexual assault) mutually exclusive?
And while I'm at it, what are her motives? Fame? Well, she's in seclusion and has no book deal that we know of. Money? Well, she's yet to file a civil suit. Oh, I know: masochism? Do you think women who submit themselves to rape kits and public humiliation (thanks to people like you who cannot wait for the matter to actually go to trial before making up your mind) get off on it? Geez.
Especially and specifically as a hotel employee, the young woman has no business nor legal defense for entering a guest's room in the middle of the night.
Unless Kobe was having a heart attack, the hotel was empty, the phones didn't work and she was the only person for 20 miles who knew CPR. Maybe then. But she'd still be required to take someone along with her, to protect the hotel as well as herself.
You are aware, I assume, that room service leaves the guest's door open at all times for a reason.
And it's ALL a morals/smarts issue, for both of them.
But this entire story demeans the pain and suffering of actual rape victims who know the difference between cozying-up to a superstar, and someone jumping them from the bushes while holding a knife to their throat.
Anyone paying attention knew O.J. was a wife-beater and drug addict.
Kobe is neither.
Your attitude is very transparent.
How? I'm waiting for the evidence to be unsealed. I'm waiting for witnesses to be put under oath. I'm waiting to get to the bottom of everything.
Especially and specifically as a hotel employee, the young woman has no business nor legal defense for entering a guest's room in the middle of the night.
Not even to bring towels, FedEx, room service, etc.? Not even if he then invited her in? No need to emote, Doc. The records are still sealed. We'll find out her story and his when it's unsealed.
Please explain why. :-)
Anyone paying attention knew O.J. was a wife-beater and drug addict.
Oh yes, that's why nobody was surprised during the slow car chase, or when he was arrested, or when he went on trial...
Kobe is neither.
And you know this because...?
Your attitude is very transparent.
So you think it matches yours?
"Ladies" don't go to stranger's hotel rooms in the middle of the night.
And most of her "traumas" appear to be self-inflicted and self-serving.
"Party of Five" has been cancelled.
Deal with it.
Concierges do when summoned. :-)
The only television I've watched in the last three weeks is baseball. It may not be the best use of my time, but baseball isn't fiction (though the "this time it counts" hype for the all-star game was a strange novelty).
"Party of Five" has been cancelled.
That's too bad, whatever it was. Do you miss it?
"Summoned"...???
Hotel employees are admonished by management and insurance companies from entering a guest's room in the middle of the night alone, and they sure don't close the door.
You must think women are idiots and do what they're told because someone in authority might tell them to do it.
You should hang out with stronger, smarter women.
Employees may be admonished not to close the door, but are 6'6", 220-pound guests? This may be part of the allegation. We'll know when the records are unsealed.
You must think women are idiots and do what they're told because someone in authority might tell them to do it.
No, not at all. But I also believe the women who are (really) raped shouldn't blame themselves.
You should hang out with stronger, smarter women.
You've clearly no idea whom my friends are or what they're like.
This comment brings me full circle to why I commented on one of your earlier postings (see my post #26).
Let's assume for a moment that this whole episode was only adultery and not rape. The only negative things you've said about Kobe on all of these posts in this thread is that (a) he's an adulterer (wow...how obvious is that...can't be in denial there); and (b) he's "an idiot" (who knows, you probably think that just 'cause he opened up his door to an unescorted female).
Every guy knows there are women you don't walk down certain paths together (alone)--no matter how briefly. So are you willing to publicly slap around Kobe for at least acknowledging that the wrong head was ruling this guy?
We've all known women in our life that were sexually vulnerable, but who, had we taken advantage of them at those vulnerable moments, would only have compounded their previous traumas (even if they were self-triggered).
Loving your neighbor as yourself=not taking advantage of their vulnerability...just as you wouldn't want someone to take advantage of your weaknesses.
As I wrote on a previous thread: "Nice job, Kobe! Great discernment of character. Going around seducing (at the very least) 'emotionally unstable' women! Way to pounce on somebody when they're down (if not literally, then he did it at least figuratively!)
Do stable people try to kill themselves {from previous thread}
"Ah, Kobe, we really needed you to bring this home to us and flesh this out for us...you know, about the down side of one-night stands. I mean, when men sleep with women who have recently attempted suicide, those kinds of slam-bam, thank-you mam activities don't tend to help these young ladies in the therapeutic stage of their life. But we'll see if you were attempting therapy or was donning the role of THE-RAPist."
That makes two suicide attempts in four months.
This young woman needs therapy; she's a danger to herself and to others.
If true, then all you did was confirm all I said in post #55. All King Kob did by bringing her into his sexual life was to cast her into the pile of celeb sexual throwaways who will forever be linked to this escapade--further placing any immediate therapy needed at bay.
No matter what you say about this woman, it takes two to tango and the married person is always under strictures to put up "stop signs" for the sake of his/her partner.
Way to bring the full weight of the media world, and fury of Kobhead worshippers, down upon a meek 19 year old, Kobe!
That's progress. Keep it up.
You've gone from calling this woman you know little about a "nutcase" to celebrating her alleged suicide attempts. No progress there...tis little hope for you minus a transformational conversion.
"Even as you've done unto the least of these...you've done unto me." (Jesus) Nice treatment of Christ, Doc.
Alright since I've talked in recent posts about "best case" scenarios (for Kobe). Let's consider "worst case scenarios" for both of them:
News flash, Doc! Even gals who attempt suicide (if true) can be raped. I know, I know. It goes smack dab against Doc Eck's Doc-trine of "Any nutcase chick who's attempted suicide is fair game for rape" but alas, I'll even go one step further in case you follow in the footstep of other FREEPER CREEPERS who label this woman as a "slut":
Yes, Doc, tis true: Even "sluts" who rub up against celebs are entitled to not being preyed upon by pro athletes who may think that motel/hotel rooms are rape-free zones.
You are way too emotionally-invested in this discussion. Your word choice is peculiar and inflammatory, i.e. "you're...celebrating her suicide attempts;" "sluts;" "preyed upon by pro athletes."
You seem to have overly-identified with this unfortunate young woman. You should get some professional help before you do something rash.
But once you stoop to impuning my faith, my "treatment of Christ," you've crossed the line between courteous discourse and arrogant, insufferable ignorance.
And there you'll remain.
Don't post to me again.
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