Accuser’s lawyers in Bryant case rip judge’s moves

Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2004 | 9:35 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Lawyers for the woman accusing Kobe Bryant of rape said even Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh was treated more fairly than she was, and have accused the judge of trying to protect himself by imposing an unconstitutional gag order.

In a court filing released Monday in Denver, John Clune and L. Lin Wood said their client was "devastated" by some of the NBA star's evidence that was mistakenly released by the court.

The lawyers said District Judge Terry Ruckriegle's gag order -- expanded last week after they appeared on national television on Aug. 5 -- means that "only the rapist's version of events will be disseminated to the media."

"Even Timothy McVeigh had a right to speak. No less right belongs to a rape victim," the attorneys wrote.

The courts said McVeigh, executed in June 2001 for the Oklahoma City bombing, could speak with the media to counter negative publicity about him, Clune and Wood wrote in their filing.

To prevent future mistakes, lawyers on both sides had asked Ruckriegle to stop posting case filings on the court's Web site but Ruckriegle rejected that motion Monday.

In both instances, the release of material from closed-door, pretrial hearings is the core issue. In their scathing motion, Clune and Wood said the expanded gag order lets stand the "devastating, one-sided account" from closed hearings into whether the alleged victim's sexual history should be entered as evidence.

Clune and a prosecution spokeswoman declined comment.

Transcripts accidentally e-mailed to seven media outlets focused primarily on a defense expert's opinion that the woman had sex with someone after Bryant and before her hospital exam, and a defense claim that she is pursuing the case for monetary reasons.

The Rockets are looking to offset the loss of Steve Francis, who was traded to Orlando in a blockbuster deal that sent two-time league scoring champ Tracy McGrady to Houston.

Ward, a 10-year veteran, spent most of his career with the New York Knicks. He will be reunited with Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy, who led the Knicks from 1995-01. Sura, a nine-year veteran, played with Atlanta last year.