Probe Ends of Leaks in Bryant Case

Authorities in Eagle County have been cleared by investigators from a neighboring county of disobeying a judge by leaking information about the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case.

Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis and lead investigator Joe DiSalvo on Thursday delivered a 52-page report to Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett, who ordered the probe after Bryant’s attorneys complained in August that a gag order was being violated.

Braudis and DiSalvo also met with Eagle County Sheriff Joe Hoy and Dist. Atty. Mark Hurlbert, telling them no evidence surfaced linking leaks to their offices during the two-week investigation.

“The gist is, my office is cleared of any allegations,” Hoy said. “They do believe some information was getting out there, but they found that a lot of it was [leaked] before the judge” issued the gag order.

Little if any information leaked to the media appeared to come from anyone who had access to the court files under seal, according to investigators. Hoy said Gannett has the only copy of the report, and the judge has stipulated that it be sealed.

-- Steve Henson