August 21, 2003 Break-in at victim's house in Bryant case Randy Wyrick Some person or persons broke into the Eagle home of the alleged victim in the Kobe Bryant case, sources told the Vail Daily. Late last week someone broke into the house, being relatively careful not to break anything, and nothing was stolen. But sources said the burglars also made it clear they wanted the victim and her family to know they had been there. They said whoever broke in moved several items and locked the family dogs in a bathroom. Regional law enforcement authorities said they are investigating the incident. So far, no arrests have been made. The incident report was made part of the sealed investigation file and is not available to the public. Acting Eagle Police Chief Gary Ward declined to say whether the alleged victim's house was receiving additional security. The break-in incident comes in the midst of several attempts to threaten and intimidate the victim, witnesses and others associated with the case, through the mail and by telephone calls. U.S. Attorney John W. Suthers and Phillip B.J. Reid, special agent in charge of the FBI's Rocky Mountain Division, announced the indictment and arrest of John William Roche of Iowa City, Iowa, on suspicion of making a threatening telephone call across state lines. Roche was arrested Thursday without incident at his home by special agents of the FBI and officers of the Iowa City Police Department. Roche reportedly threatened to kill or injure the alleged victim. Calls from all over the country have been pouring into Eagle County, beginning even before District Attorney Mark Hurlbert announced his decision to charge Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant with felony sexual assault for allegedly raping a 19-year-old Eagle woman June 30 at the Lodge at Cordillera. The FBI has investigated a number of letters and phone calls to Eagle County residents and authorities. Hurlbert has received threats that the FBI is investigating. The calls created a need for additional security in the District Attorney's Office, prompting Hurlbert to curtail public access to the office. The flood of journalists wandering through the building, keeping staff members from their work, was also part of the reason access was limited. Eagle County Sheriff Joe Hoy, who obtained the warrant for Bryant's July 4 arrest, has received dozens of letters, e-mails and phone calls. He found at least one disturbing enough that he turned it over to the FBI. So has Eagle County Judge Fred Gannett, who is presiding over the early stages of Bryant's court proceedings. FBI agents are in Eagle County as part of the investigation. Bryant was charged with one count of felony sexual assault on July 18. He was arraigned on Aug. 6, and waived advisement of his rights and charges. He is scheduled to be back in Eagle County Court Oct. 9 for a preliminary hearing. At that time, Gannett will decide whether there is enough evidence to send the case to District Court for trial. Much of this is due to the total irresponsibility of people who named the prosecution's chief witness and started giving out her address (i.e., the Los Angeles radio station and various web posters). This is total insanity.
This is sad. Hopefully, the alleged vicitim stands her ground and doesn't let the intimidation keep her from telling her story.
Why not? I'm not a kobe supporter either but at this point, Kobe is not going to do anything to cause the allege victim to become even more a victim. There are so many different people in the world, just as there are so many evil people out there
I dont think anyone is saying that Kobe is causing all of this. That would be quite absurd. But there are many Kobe and Laker lovers in this world who have no life of their own. To them Kobe is God and they will go to anything to protect him. Kinda like what happened to Roger Maris. In this case the alleged victim is being treated like Maris. People love Ruth or Kobe and dont want to see their respective idols fall. yeah yeah I know its a strecth
At this point I have little sympathy for her or Kobe. She could be lying for all we know and on the other hand Kobe put himself in this situation by even attempting to have consentual sex with her. Either one of them could be the victim so if they are willing to release Kobes identity then i don't see why they shouldn't release hers.
okay, I understand what you were trying to say now. It seemed as if you were accusing her defense team or maybe even the victim herself of doing this from that one-liner. I could see that. Unlikely, but I could see that. Maybe CWebb or Duncan is the culprit. More likely I think is what R3 suggested. A few random nutjobs.
Yah, and who should make the call on whether her info should be released? The judge? The media? NBA fans? Laker bulletin boards? I don't see people distributing Kobe's address, phone number, etc.
I remember reading or watching some interview where they said there are "people" out there that can get the message to people in court cases that they should drop the case or just come to a settlement. They're basically bullies for hire. I'm not saying this is what's happening here, but just throwing that out...
But she can't drop the case, can she DoD? It's my understanding that the DA has to prosecute to uphold Colorado law. It is his obligation to do so...
OMG how dense are you? What is it that you don't understand? Kobe has also recieved threats. Whats good for the goose is good for the gander.
wtf are you talking about? where is it saying Kobe is getting harrassed with threats serious enough to warrant the involvement of the fbi?
The same news cast on MSNBC that reported the break-in and the arrest of the threating caller also had a person that they identified as a lawyer familiar with the case come on and say that the judge could not open up the information on the case or the public in, at least, the county involved would be so inflamed that it would be impossible to put together a non-prejudicial jury. I know that the Kobe apologists are rampant on this and other boards and other posters have accused this girl of everything under the sun just because Kobe is Kobe. I am getting a feeling and I'm really not trying to, but I am thinking he is guilty as hell. I am not sure how much the girl complied because I have not even heard her side of it except in the formal complaint. That really says very little. There was a post here awile back that Kobe may have been on steroids which causes unpredictable behavior. His wife may have been suffering from post-partum (sp.) depression and he was knocked a little off tilt. Those people living in or around Houston know from another recent case what havoc that can wreak in a family. People, like Kobe, who have not encountered much adversity in life can go off tilt when presented with something they can not cope with. I don't have the answers for why, I just have this feeling that he did it. This is in no way racist oriented so please don't start that old posting all over again.
It doesn't matter that Kobe has absolutely nothing to do with this - it will still be linked to him indirectly somehow by the media and others. Kobe will not get the benefit of the doubt no matter what nor should he expect fairness because that's not the way the system works.
Agree with your initial premise, but not with your conclusion. However, the seeds that Law Team Kobe and willing followers planted early are now growing wild and without control. I predict the harvest shall yield bitter fruit for all.
You just proved my premise in that you want to lay the root cause of this insanity at the feet of Kobe's legal team which is simply not a fair accusation to make. There's no way Kobe and his lawyers bear any responsibility with any of this crap but it will be Kobe who will "somehow" get stained by events such as these. In circumstances like the one that Kobe now finds himself, no black male should ever expect fairness and objectivity to carry the day. The system simply isn't set up to give everyone a fair chance - an accused black man is a guilty black man. That's something else Kobe should have thought about before he went creeping in the night. Now before anyone starts to get their panties in bunch over my rather cynical outlook, let me restate for the record that I place the BLAME for all of this squarely on Kobe's shoulders. If he'd kept his pants zipped up we'd all have nothing to talk about.
