The judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case asked the prosecution and defense Tuesday to work together to produce an edited version of disputed transcripts that can be released to the public.
Judge Terry Ruckriegle’s order came one day after U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer requested that the trial judge release the transcripts from a closed-door hearing on the alleged victim’s sexual conduct that were accidentally e-mailed to seven news organizations June 24.
Breyer suggested that Ruckriegle release an edited version by Wednesday afternoon, thereby possibly averting a thorny decision by the high court on whether prohibiting publication of the entire transcript is a 1st Amendment violation.
Ruckriegle has threatened to cite any news organization that releases details from the e-mailed transcripts with contempt. The Colorado Supreme Court upheld the ruling and the organizations appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Breyer denied the appeal only for 48 hours and indicated that the disagreement might be settled by releasing an edited version of the transcripts, which primarily address DNA evidence taken from the then 19-year-old accuser at her medical examination the day after the June 30, 2003, alleged rape.
The Colorado attorney general’s office will seek an extension until Monday of the 48-hour deadline. Bryant will be in court for a pretrial hearing in Eagle County, Colo., Court on Friday, and Ruckriegle wants the prosecution and defense to propose at that time the form in which the transcript could be released.
Bryant, 25, has pleaded not guilty to felony sexual assault. His trial is set for Aug. 27.
