Timetable Worries Bryant’s Lawyers

In another indication his sexual assault trial is a long way off, attorneys for Kobe Bryant said Thursday they were concerned that testimony from nine witnesses might not be taken at the next hearing.

Attorney Pamela Mackey requested in a court filing that Judge Terry Ruckriegle hold a telephone status conference to address the schedule for the next court hearing in Eagle County, Colo., on Jan. 23.

The witnesses, most of whom are relatives and friends of the woman accusing Bryant of a June 30 rape at a mountain resort, were subpoenaed to appear at a Dec. 19 hearing to testify about whether the woman had publicly discussed her medical records. They were not called, because other matters took up the entire day.

Mackey said the witnesses could again be subpoenaed unnecessarily because of the court’s “busy schedule.”

Several matters are pending, including hearings on a defense request to allow testing of physical evidence at an independent laboratory and whether an evidentiary hearing will be held on physician-patient privilege.

Ruckriegle must also determine whether the hearing will remain open.

In a separate filing, Bryant attorney Hal Haddon asked that clothing items held as evidence be tested in an independent lab at Bryant’s expense, because a Jan. 2 Colorado Bureau of Investigation examination of some evidence was deemed inadequate by a defense expert who was present.