Mother of Bryant’s Accuser Talks at Rally

Speaking publicly for the first time, the mother of Kobe Bryant’s accuser said Monday that she was proud of her daughter for her courage.

She made brief comments at a victim’s advocates rally in Denver as part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Her voice cracked with emotion as she said to the audience of about 100, “I would like to thank my daughter for teaching me about courage. I’m proud to be her mom.”

Bryant is charged with felony sexual assault stemming from an encounter June 30 at a Colorado mountain resort. The Laker guard has said he and his accuser had consensual sex. No trial date has been set.

The 19-year-old accuser was not at the rally, but her father and Eagle County Dist. Atty. Mark Hurlbert did attend. Hurlbert was introduced but did not speak.

“Victims’ rights are about changing and rewriting laws to give victims equal protection under the law,” the woman’s mother said. “Victims’ rights are about standing up for the truth. Victims’ rights are about becoming a survivor.”

She spoke in support of pending state legislation that would allow judges to keep the names of alleged rape victims secret. The bill was introduced in part because a woman was misidentified as Bryant’s accuser on an Internet site.

The mother of Bryant’s accuser last month wrote a letter to the court asking that a trial date be set quickly because, she said, her daughter’s life had been repeatedly threatened. Judge Terry Ruckriegle has not responded to the letter or to motions filed by both sides on the issue.