By: Joe Strupp Although The Rocky Mountain News in Denver chose late Thursday to name the accuser in the Kobe Bryant rape case, The Associated Press -- which arguably would have the widest distribution of the name -- has yet to make the same decision, contending that the alleged victim should still be protected.
In a story posted on the Rocky Mountain News Web site about the victim's re-filing of her lawsuit against Bryant, the paper quoted editor and publisher John Temple as saying, "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."
"She had the choice not to go forward after Judge Matsch said she couldn't proceed anonymously," Temple continued. "As a general rule, the News names plaintiffs in civil lawsuits. Here, both sides' personal integrity and credibility are at issue and the News believes fairness requires that both parties be named in reporting on this civil lawsuit."
But the AP, whose stories on the case appear in hundreds of newspapers, chose to continue with the practice of keeping her identity protected. "That is where we stand at the moment," said AP spokesman Jack Stokes. "Our story says clearly that she has asked not to be identified and only did so because the judge required it."
An AP story on the case, which moved Friday, said, "The Associated Press and other news organizations generally do not identify alleged victims of sexual assault." Stokes added, "If it changes, it will be in the story and we will explain why."
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