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Under orders from a federal judge, the woman accusing Kobe Bryant of rape identified herself by name Thursday in a revised version of the lawsuit she filed against the NBA star two months ago.
The 20-year-old woman, who asked Eagle County prosecutors to dismiss the felony case against Bryant after deciding not to testify, had sought to remain anonymous in the federal civil case, though her name has been widely published on the Internet. Her attorneys, John Clune and L. Lin Wood, argued she should not be named because she has been the subject of death threats and sordid publicity since she told police Bryant assaulted her 16 months ago.
Wood said Thursday that the woman identified herself only so she could continue her lawsuit and would prefer that the media not publish her name because she still fears for her safety.
"The decision about whether to make her name a household word now really does lie in the hands of the media," said Wood, who had gotten calls from about 10 media outlets asking whether the woman wanted to be named.
U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch last week said the woman must be publicly identified in the case as a matter of fairness. He also said her privacy had been invaded to the extent that granting her anonymity would have little effect.
Legal experts say federal judges rarely allow plaintiffs to remain anonymous, except in cases involving children or whistleblowers who fear employer retaliation. The Associated Press and other news organizations generally do not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
Bryant's attorney, Saskia Jordan, did not return a call seeking comment.
The Rocky Mountain News published the woman's name in a story posted on the paper's Web site Thursday night.
"Until now, the News has exercised its editorial judgment and has not named Bryant's accuser despite the fact that her name was widely known. But today we are naming her, after she made the decision Thursday to re-file her lawsuit in her own name seeking money damages against Bryant," Editor John Temple said in the story.
"Both sides' personal integrity and credibility are at issue and the News believes fairness requires that both parties be named," he said.
The woman's name has been accessible on the Internet for months, in part because of mistakes by staff at the Eagle County Justice Center in posting case filings on a state Web site in the criminal case.
No trial date has been set in the civil suit, which seeks unspecified damages for alleged pain and suffering and "to punish defendant Bryant for his actions and to deter defendant Bryant from repeating his criminal conduct."
Bryant, 26, has maintained that the encounter between him and the woman at the Vail-area resort where she worked in July 2003 was consensual.
Source: AP
The 20-year-old woman, who asked Eagle County prosecutors to dismiss the felony case against Bryant after deciding not to testify, had sought to remain anonymous in the federal civil case, though her name has been widely published on the Internet. Her attorneys, John Clune and L. Lin Wood, argued she should not be named because she has been the subject of death threats and sordid publicity since she told police Bryant assaulted her 16 months ago.
Wood said Thursday that the woman identified herself only so she could continue her lawsuit and would prefer that the media not publish her name because she still fears for her safety.
"The decision about whether to make her name a household word now really does lie in the hands of the media," said Wood, who had gotten calls from about 10 media outlets asking whether the woman wanted to be named.
U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch last week said the woman must be publicly identified in the case as a matter of fairness. He also said her privacy had been invaded to the extent that granting her anonymity would have little effect.
Legal experts say federal judges rarely allow plaintiffs to remain anonymous, except in cases involving children or whistleblowers who fear employer retaliation. The Associated Press and other news organizations generally do not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
Bryant's attorney, Saskia Jordan, did not return a call seeking comment.
The Rocky Mountain News published the woman's name in a story posted on the paper's Web site Thursday night.
"Until now, the News has exercised its editorial judgment and has not named Bryant's accuser despite the fact that her name was widely known. But today we are naming her, after she made the decision Thursday to re-file her lawsuit in her own name seeking money damages against Bryant," Editor John Temple said in the story.
"Both sides' personal integrity and credibility are at issue and the News believes fairness requires that both parties be named," he said.
The woman's name has been accessible on the Internet for months, in part because of mistakes by staff at the Eagle County Justice Center in posting case filings on a state Web site in the criminal case.
No trial date has been set in the civil suit, which seeks unspecified damages for alleged pain and suffering and "to punish defendant Bryant for his actions and to deter defendant Bryant from repeating his criminal conduct."
Bryant, 26, has maintained that the encounter between him and the woman at the Vail-area resort where she worked in July 2003 was consensual.
Source: AP