Don't
point the finger
Gerry
Wachovsky
Many
media organizations, including the On-line
Forty-Niner have been debating the ethical
issue of whether or not to disseminate the
name of the alleged Kobe Bryant rape victim,
a 19-year-old Colorado woman who attended
the University of Northern Colorado. This
article originally contained the name of
the alleged victim, but my editors, basing
their decision on ethical codes set forth
by the Society of Professional Journalists,
refused to print the name. I disagree with
this decision in its entirety. I think it
is a ludicrous double standard that Bryant's
name gets dragged through the mud, but this
girl deserves some "special treatment."
That being said, the name in this article
is censored due to the decision of my editors,
not myself.
Up
until early July of this year, a specific
19-year-old Eagle, Colo. girl led a normal
life, went to the University of Northern
Colorado and worked at a posh Edwards, Colo.,
hotel called the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera.
Everything changed, however, when this girl
accused Los Angeles Lakers star, Kobe Bryant,
of sexual assault. In the end, Bryant could
face a possible sentence of life in prison.
Is Kobe guilty of raping the 19-year-old
hotel concierge? I do not believe so, and
after reading this, I think you, too, will
agree.
First
of all, let me clear something up that it
seems many people do not understand. Adultery,
which is obviously unethical, is not a crime,
and Bryant has admitted that he and the
alleged victim had sex the night of June
30. What is at stake here is not the immoral
nature of Bryant's adultery; it is whether
or not the young woman was raped. That being
said, the evidence brought forth as of yet
clearly raises an eyebrow to the girl's
accusations.
Let
us consider an interesting piece of evidence
that the defense raised issue with in the
preliminary hearing on Oct. 15 -- a pair
of underpants that the alleged victim wore
to her rape examination the day following
the alleged sexual assault. The panties
contained traces of blood, as well as "sperm
from another man, along with a pubic hair
that wasn't Kobe's," according to a
report on www.thedenverchannel.com/, home
of the ABC News affiliate in Denver. Things
got even stranger when Pamela Mackey, Bryant's
attorney, questioned Eagle County Detective
Doug Winters, the official who interviewed
the Colorado girl following the alleged
rape. Winters affirmed that her underwear
not only contained semen and pubic hair
from another man, but also admitted that
since the time the young woman made the
accusation, no DNA testing had been done
to determine whom the contents of the underwear
belonged to! Shouldn't this have been done
by now? By no means am I an attorney or
investigator, it just seems to me that this
little test would be first on any list of
priorities!
Other
interesting tidbits come in light of comments
friends and acquaintances of the alleged
victim have made to various members of the
media, regarding her past. One bizarre report,
for example, came from NBC News, regarding
a party that the girl allegedly attended
"just days before charges were filed
against Bryant." A number of teens
that were at the party said she "appeared
to be in a good mood," boasted about
the episode, and even "described Bryant's
anatomy when asked." In addition to
this, media has reported that the young
woman not only overdosed on pills "about
a month before the alleged sexual assault
incident," but also had two previous
suicide attempts, the latest occurring in
May. Even the first person the alleged victim
saw after the alleged attack, a coworker
at the hotel, in a letter to police said
that her coworker did not appear distraught
or act as if anything unusual had occurred.
Does this sound like the way someone who
was really a victim would act? Is this normal
emotional and psychological behavior? Something
does not seem to add up here.
To
add insult to injury, the alleged victim
was not even forced to testify at the preliminary
trial after her attorneys said "it
would subject her to unnecessary anxiety
and intimidation." I find it interesting
that she brought the allegations forth,
yet can't even appear in court! Does anybody
else find this absolutely outrageous? Furthermore,
she did not seem to be too "anxious"
or "intimidated" when she allegedly
described Kobe's penis to attendees at the
aforementioned party!
So
far, in light of all the evidence and events
that have taken place, in my eyes it is
Bryant who has been the true victim. The
rape allegations have not only tarnished
his name and reputation, but have also cost
him endorsements "worth at least $20
million a year," according to Denver's
ABC News affiliate. Should Bryant be found
innocent, it is unknown if his previous
sponsors will endorse him again, and if
they choose not to, it will seem as if he
really lost. Right now, it seems like this
is a no-win situation for Bryant, but hopefully
justice will prevail.
Gerry
Wachovsky is a broadcast journalism major
at Cal State Long Beach and can be reached
at SenorBucho@aol.com.
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