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Kobe Bryant excused from jury duty
March 18th, 2009, 4:35 pm · 25 Comments · posted by Larry Welborn
Prospective juror Kobe Bryant was excused from jury duty this afternoon after sitting in a third floor 
courtroom in the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana listening to the selection process for hours.
He was called up and quizzed for potential service on a misdemeanor case where two defendants are charged with 10 counts of vehicle tampering in the city of Orange.
But attorneys agreed on a 12-person jury plus one alternate before his turn in the jury box came up.
Acting Superior Court Judge Clarence Haynes got some laughs when he looked at the basketball superstar — one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet — and asked “Bryant?”
Kobe told attorneys that he thought he had good common sense and that he thought he could be fair.
“I’m a good listener,” he added.
For the most part, he was treated just like any other prospective juror.
Well, except for the fact that he was let into the courtroom through a back door. Oh, and a deputy guarded the jury assembly room in the morning when he first arrived. And a few court visitors tried to snap photos of him with their camera phones, until they were politely warned by deputies that was not allowed.
During an afternoon recess, Kobe said “everyone has to do their duty … This is important. You have to take it seriously.
“I don’t think anybody wants to do jury duty,” he added. “But it’s your responsibility.”
A short time later, 13 men and women were sworn in as the jury and one alternate and told to return to court Thursday morning.
Bryant was released. He’ll be on the basketball court Thursday evening against the Golden State Warriors.
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The exact same thing happened to me and the OCR did not cover it. BTW, the 3rd floor is really nice since the last time I was there.
thanks Kobe for doing the right thing….a celebrity with less class would have ducked the obligation.
I’m glad he did not get picked. I want to watch him play in the game against the warriors Thursday.
It’s easy to forget that everyone - even basketball superstars - is under the same obligation when it comes to jury duty. Jury duty, along with taxes, seems to be the great equalizer in life. I agree with Tom Allen. While I may find fault with Kobe’s apparent ego, you have to give him credit for fulfilling his citizen responsibilities.
I found AP’s headline for this story rather entertaining: “For once, Kobe Bryant wasn’t needed at court.” Whatever the case, I too would rather watch Kobe play tomorrow night’s game against Golden State than have him sit in some stuffy courtroom for hours on end. This would have made a very intriguing story, however. One can only imagine how much more press this otherwise-unnoticeable misdemeanor case would have received!
Yeah Kobe, thanks for doing the right thing, like when you raped that woman and paid her off with cash to avoid criminal prosecution, and then bought that ridiculously huge diamond ring for your pretty wife to keep her from leaving you. A celebrity with less class would not have done that.
I wouldn’t want him on a jury to which I’d been assigned. Other jury members would be distracted and may not be concentrating on the case, or their views may be influenced by his statements because he’s famous and not by his logic.
who really cares if he was called for Jury duty? I can’t believe this made news….
what -no way- KOBE gets out from the court system again, right on.
and OBAMA comes to the OC nad gets nothing accomplished YES!!!!
I told you the rapist would get off
I noticed this story on cnnsi.com. They have a site that posts rumors and other garbage. I find their headline to this story insulting. They say Kobe avoided jury duty. I see it as he served jury duty. He just didn’t get picked on a jury. How can someone say he avoided jury duty if he showed up and even sat through the selection process? They must not have the same system we have in Orange County. I’ve been to jury duty three times. I haven’t been on a jury yet but I did my duty and showed up.
I am surprised Kobe didn’t reschedule though. The court will let you schedule for a time that is more convenient. He could have rescheduled for the summer.
hey “Patriot” I got your rapist right here waiting for you to suck on!!!
Not guilty!!! NOT guilty !!!! you IDIOT Moron!
imuniquelikeyou .. you are wrong.. The courts proved it to be wrong the girl was a money hungry skank who premeditated a scam to seduce Kobe and then charge him with rape.. All for his money.. Some women are so classless. I see them all the time at Javiers and Maestro’s looking for guys wearing rolexes and wearing wedding bands. They are looking for an easy way into some cash.
To “imuniquelikeyuou, and Patriot.” Since when does a rape victim to to a rapest’s room after 1 A.M. alone un-invited, knock and enter? She got what she went for, sex and money. I call that girl not a victim, but a “W”.
Ko-bee! Ko-bee! Ko-bee!
Kobe haters need to keep your ignorant comments to yourself. That case fell apart after her so-called friends came forward and told everyone that she had promised them breast jobs after she got her money, and the witness who backed up her rape claim was one of two guys whose DNA (none were Kobe’s) was on her chonies. The only one he needs to ask forgiveness from is his wife and it looks like she did just that.
So mind your business dumpkofs!
It’s funny when some sad human beeing have nothing on you. What do they do? they go back and bring old stories. Haven’t you beat the rapist drum enough. This S#@t is old my friend. GET A LIFE!
Thanks Kobe for showing us that we’re old obide by the laws of the land.
some of you have forgotten the you cant rape the willing!!!!!!!!!!!
get a life imuniquelikeyou!!!
& I want to know this why??? Sheesh. Big deal…NOT!
pictures? pffffffffft, he signed my best friends shoes for him there.
No, less class people would be like you ( “iamuniquelikeyou” and “patriot). Ppl like u never give other ppl a second chance. How classless and selfish. I’m sure u would give ur dad a second chance if he would have done the same thing… Wouldn’t you?
Does anyone know what city Kobe lives in? I thought it was in Newport, but then he would have gone to Harbor Court.
imuniquelikeyou, Patriot, go back and do your homework on the case yo. Kobe didn’t rape the girl. In fact, the panties from that night were clean, no semen, no blood or anything. The next night, a new set of panties actually had blood and semen and it wasn’t even his. The ring was bought before he went to Colorado AND the reason for the payoff was because Kobe didn’t want the rest of his extramarital sex life (apparently he’d been sleeping with others) to become public. The payoff was to maintain his privacy. Check around in the news after the fact. The guys in Colorado had no case against Kobe and they were all reprimanded with the amount of money they spent and the absolute mishandling and failure the case was.
It amazes me how small minded people are about the case and what little they really know. Leave it to intellectuals like me to actually research things and figure out what really happened before spatting off like an idiot on the boards.
As far as jury duty goes, kudos to Kobe for showing up and performing his civic duty. Though I have to admit that during the trial I was on, I actually enjoyed being a juror.
I think Kobe lives in Newport Coast which is probably part of Newport. But that doesn’t mean you go to the local court.
One time I got called to Laguna Niguel, which I guess might be part of Harbor and another time I may have been the main Harbor court house–I can’t remember exactly.
I used to get off since I was working but have been called and sat through at least part of the process a couple of times. The first one was settled after we had been there for about an hr or so and the 2nd one I got there a bit late and waited but then was excused.
If it had come to him actually being in the selection process rather than it being decided before they got to him, I bet that one side or the other would object since he would be a distraction with his celebrity.