Bryant Facing Felony Count

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.

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Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.