Hi, 18,
the Kobe story had a NAMED
girl in its story. Not a can of
worms, but a witness willing
to take the stand. That is why
you read about
money exchanging
hands away from the story.
DENVER (AP) - The woman accusing Kobe Bryant of assault reached
a money settlement with the owners of The Globe and other tabloids that
printed her picture and stories about her hotel encounter with the NBA
star, Bryant's attorneys said Thursday. The tabloid publisher American
Media Inc. agreed to pay the woman an undisclosed sum, according to
court documents filed by the defense in the woman's civil lawsuit
against Bryant. Bryant's lawyers, who did not disclose how they found
out about the alleged settlement, said the woman's attorneys should have
notified them. L. Lin Wood, an attorney representing the woman, did not
immediately return after-hours phone
messages Thursday. Calls to American Media Inc., based in Boca Raton,
Fla., went unanswered Thursday evening. The woman sued Bryant in August,
three weeks before prosecutors dropped their criminal case against him.
The suit seeks unspecified money damages from Bryant for alleged
emotional injuries the woman has suffered since their encounter at an
upscale hotel near Vail in June 2003. The Los Angeles Lakers player said
the sex was consensual. Information about the alleged settlement with
American Media came in a court filing supporting Bryant's claim that
media organizations, including The Associated Press, and other outside
sources were at least partly responsible for the woman's alleged
injuries. The woman has denied the claim, saying Bryant is trying to
shift responsibility away from himself. The Globe printed the woman's
full name on its cover at least once and front-page photos of a woman it
claimed was Bryant's accuser at least three times. The National
Enquirer, another tabloid published by American Media, also used
pictures of the woman but blocked out her face. Bryant's attorneys have
scheduled a deposition with American Media representatives Feb. 16, the
filing said. It is the policy of The Associated Press not to name
alleged sexual assault victims. The woman, who has been identified in
court documents, has asked that her name not be used. Associated Press