Newsgroup: it.sport.basket
Titolo: Kobe con qualche problemuccio

Che sia stata l'aria di montagna a risvegliare l'ormone?
:-))
Ciao, Gabriele
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Bryant Facing Felony Count
 Laker guard, free on bail after turning himself in to police, is accused of
sexual assault at a hotel near Vail, Colo. No charges have been filed.
By Tim Brown and Richard Marosi, Times Staff Writers
Laker guard Kobe Bryant is free on bail after turning himself in to police
on suspicion of felony sexual assault at a resort hotel near Vail, Colo.,
Eagle County Sheriff Joe Hoy said Sunday night.
Bryant surrendered to the Eagle County Sheriff's Detention Facility on
Friday. He was booked, posted $25,000 bail and released. He has yet to be
formally charged and an arraignment has not been scheduled, authorities
said.
An unidentified woman told police Tuesday that Bryant had sexually assaulted
her June 30, according to the county sheriff's office. After a three-day
investigation that included interviews with several people, including
Bryant, and a review of physical evidence, a judge issued a warrant for
Bryant's arrest.
Hoy declined to provide more details. The arrest file was sealed, he said,
because of the nature of the case and out of concern for the alleged victim.
In Colorado law, felony sexual assault has a wide scope, from coerced
touching to rape.
"We don't want things to get out of hand before everything is put into
place," Hoy said in a telephone interview.
He added that Bryant was "very cooperative" during the investigation and
since. Bryant, who could not be reached for comment, told one team official
that the charges were "bogus."
Bryant was a guest at the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera Hotel near Edwards,
Colo., last week, according to a hotel employee. According to Bryant's
attorney, Pamela Mackey, Bryant was in Colorado to undergo arthroscopic
surgery on his right knee, a procedure performed by Vail specialist Dr.
Richard Steadman. The surgery was to relieve pain caused by persistent
swelling in the knee, pain he endured for most of last season.
Mackey said Bryant arrived in Edwards on June 30, had surgery the next day
and returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Although no charges were filed, Dist. Atty. Mark Hurlbert said detectives
had consulted with his office before arresting Bryant.
Mackey said Bryant is distraught over the circumstances, but that he expects
to be exonerated.
"Kobe is innocent," she said. "Can you imagine being accused of this? It's
awful."
The attorney criticized Eagle County authorities for rushing to arrest
Bryant, and said that detectives had obtained a warrant without the approval
of prosecutors. Hurlbert said that arrest warrants usually are sought by his
office, not the sheriff's department, and that he learned of the warrant
only after it was issued.
"It's very distressing," Mackey said, "that the sheriff's office, who is
supposed to be conducting the unbiased investigation, ignores what the
district attorney says and goes out and gets a warrant. It's outrageous."
Hurlbert said prosecutors would make a decision on whether to file charges
after they review the police reports.
Bryant, 24, has played seven seasons with the Lakers. He was married in
April 2001 and he and Vanessa had their first child, daughter Natalia, in
January. Bryant spoke openly recently of a rift with his parents, brought on
by his relationship with Vanessa, who was in high school when the two began
dating. The family has appeared to resolve those differences.
While concerned about the allegations, Laker management said it would stand
behind Bryant, who has been a good citizen since coming to the organization
only four months after graduating from Lower Merion High outside
Philadelphia.
"These allegations are completely out of character of the Kobe Bryant we
know," General Manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement released by the
team. "For the seven years he's been with us he has been one of the finest
young men we've known and a wonderful asset to both our team and our
community.
"However, since this is a legal matter being handled by the authorities in
Colorado, we must refrain from further comment at this time."
Officials with the NBA and Bryant's shoe company, Nike, declined to comment.
Bryant, who can opt out of his Laker contract after next season and has not
acted on a three-year, $55-million extension offered by the team, recently
agreed to a five-year deal with Nike believed to be worth about $45 million.
Among the most recognizable players in the NBA, Bryant recently was named to
USA Basketball's Olympic qualifying team, though shoulder and knee surgery
could preclude his participation. Still, it is expected he would play in the
2004 Olympics next summer in Greece.
On the floor, Bryant has twice been first-team All-NBA, five times an
All-Star and helped lead the Lakers to three consecutive championships, a
run that ended last season, when he averaged a career-high 30 points. Off
it, Bryant is thought to be a homebody, rarely fraternizing with teammates
or club officials, on the road more often dining with his two bodyguards or
personal trainer.
The knee surgery, three weeks after surgery to repair the labrum in his
right shoulder, was something of a surprise to Laker management.
Team officials knew Bryant had continued to experience pain in his knee
after the season ended and that he had been consulting with specialists
about possible surgery. But few knew he had gone ahead with the procedure,
which was not announced.
The team believes Bryant will be ready for training camp.
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.
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Come la malinconia č la tristezza diventata leggerezza, cosě lo humour č il
comico  che ha perso la pesantezza corporea.
"Lezioni Americane", I. Calvino

 ha scritto nel messaggio
news:3YaOa.153446$lK4.4...@twister1.libero.it...
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