Jesse on Line 1..... Johnny on Lines 2 and 4..... Al on Line 3.....
EAGLE, Colo. - Prosecutors have decided to charge basketball star Kobe Bryant (search) with sexual assault, ending two weeks of speculation about the fate of the Los Angeles Lakers' star. The 24-year-old Bryant could be imprisoned for four years to life if convicted on the single felony count, Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert (search) told reporters during a Friday news conference. Bryant's attorney, Pamela Mackey, has scheduled a news conference at 9 p.m. EDT at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It was not known whether Bryant will attend. Hurlbert, a former assistant district attorney promoted by the governor in December, spent the last two weeks looking over results of tests from the state crime laboratory. Both Bryant and his female accuser, a 19-year-old hotel worker, underwent unspecified medical tests. Sheriff Joe Hoy (search), elected in November, arrested Bryant on July 4, even though Hurlbert hadn't made a decision by that time. Silverman said the tension created by the arrest and subsequent media attention made it tougher for Hurlbert to do his job. "All of this could have been going on without any public attention if the sheriff had kept his powder dry," instead of arresting Bryant before Hurlbert decided whether to prosecute, Silverman said. Until now, Hurlbert's biggest decision as district attorney may have been deciding not to prosecute a British man involved in a fatal skiing collision on March 2. As an assistant district attorney, Hurlbert won a second-degree murder conviction in 2002 against Chuck Garrison, accused of killing his wife and burying her body in his yard. Bryant is accused of assaulting the woman on the night of June 30, soon after he checked into the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera outside Edwards. He was in town to have knee surgery at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in nearby Vail. The woman, who worked at the front desk of the hotel, reported the alleged assault the following day. The woman is well-known in Eagle as a former high school cheerleader and talented musician who auditioned for American Idol last year. Bryant is a popular player in part because he has shown a dignity many fans feel is lacking in other NBA stars. He frequently appears in television advertising campaigns and has a multimillion-dollar contract with Nike. He met his wife, Vanessa Laine, in April 2001 and the two were engaged while she was still in high school. Their first child, Natalia Diamante Bryant, was born in January. In his only public comments on the allegation, Bryant told the Los Angeles Times he "would never do something like that." Because of the charges, Bryant will have to return to Colorado on Aug. 6. ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
