kobe is about to plea on CNN
 

now

he pleaded non guilty.

Lets hope he gets a fair trial.

and he is

Innocent #8

Bryant pleads not guilty to sexual assault
Judge delays scheduling trial date


EAGLE, Colorado (CNN) -- NBA star Kobe Bryant pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a sexual assault charge that could put him in prison for life.

The brief proceeding was open to the media, and court adjourned shortly afterward without state District Judge Terry Ruckriegle setting a date for the trial.

Ruckriegle said it was premature to set a trial date until more is known about when certain evidence testing will be completed.

Ruckriegle said the next hearing in the case will be May 27.

Under Colorado law, the trial must be set within six months unless Bryant waives that right. Both sides have told the judge they think a trial would take two to three weeks.

On Monday, lawyers and the judge tentatively agreed to begin the trial in August.

Bryant arrived Monday for this week's closed hearings in Eagle County Judicial Court nearly 11 months after his arrest. He is charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman who worked at a Vail-area resort where the basketball superstar was staying.

When asked by Ruckriegle if he wanted to have the charge read in open court, Bryant declined, but the judge decided to recite it.

"That on or about the 30th day of June 2003 ... Kobe Bean Bryant, unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly inflicted sexual intrusion or sexual penetration on [Jane Doe], causing submission of the victim by means of sufficient consequence reasonably calculated to cause submission against victim's will," Ruckriegle read.

In reading the charge, the judge identified the accuser by her initials. Ruckriegle has previously referred to the woman as Jane Doe.

"Further the defendant caused submission of the victim through actual application of physical force or physical violence," Ruckriegle read.

When asked how he pleaded, Bryant said steadily, "Not guilty."

On Monday, Bryant's attorneys continued their challenge to the state's rape shield law, which keeps the background of alleged sexual abuse victims private. That issue already has taken up several days in the pretrial hearings.

The defense contends the woman had sex with other partners shortly after the encounter with Bryant, and that those activities could account for injuries the prosecution claims are the result of an assault.

Bryant, 25, has said he did have sex with the woman June 30 when he stayed in the resort where the woman worked, but said it was consensual.

The alleged victim made a surprise appearance in court Monday, marking the second time that she and Bryant have seen each other since the alleged assault last June.

They were both in court in March as the woman testified about her sexual history.

The Los Angeles Laker guard could be sentenced to four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation if convicted.

Soon after leaving court Tuesday, he boarded a plane to head back to California to take part in this evening's NBA playoff game versus the San Antonio Spurs.

From CNN's Gary Tuchman

SAVE KOBE!
Have you seen those shirts around? They're bad ass. I vote innocent.