The 25-year-old Los Angeles Laker has denied he raped the Colorado woman last summer and may get his first chance on Tuesday to formally enter his not guilty plea if other issues are disposed of quickly enough.
"We'll have to see how things go tomorrow," state court spokeswoman Karen Salaz told reporters at the end of Monday's closed door hearing. A television camera and a still camera will be allowed in the courtroom when Bryant enters his plea.
He may then rush off to Los Angeles to join his teammates who will face the San Antonio Spurs, the reigning NBA champions for game four of the best-of-seven series, which the Spurs lead 2-1.
But before Bryant would enter his plea other issues must be discussed, including a defense motion to bar future proceedings from referring to the young woman as a "victim," because it implies Bryant's guilt.
The court is also expected to take up a defense motion that challenges Colorado's Rape Shield law. The law bars defendants from presenting information to a jury on the sexual history of an accuser unless there is a very strong reason.
Pre-trial hearings are held to determine
Defense attorneys and prosecutors have been sparring over a number of issues, including whether the defense may present information about what it claims are two suicide attempts and drug and alcohol abuse by the accuser.
Defense lawyers Hal Haddon and Pamela Mackey have tried to portray the woman as so unstable she made up the rape accusation to get the attention of a former boyfriend.
Police have testified she told them she willingly entered Bryant's hotel room at a Colorado resort where she worked and he was staying and that the two kissed before he raped her.
Bryant has said the two had consensual sex and the only thing he did wrong was commit adultery, which he now regrets.
Eagle County District Judge Terry Ruckriegle has ruled that the defense may not have access to the woman's medical and psychological records. But now the defense is trying to get information about her psychological state into the trial through the testimony of friends and acquaintances.
The woman made a surprise appearance for two hours during Monday's closed-door session when the lawyers were making legal arguments. Witnesses are not allowed to hear the testimony of other witnesses to avoid being tainted, but the rule is relaxed if a witness wants to listen to legal arguments by attorneys.
