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http://www.vaildaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040903/NEWS/109030013
While a jury will not decide Kobe Bryant's future, a jury of a different
sort - voters - will decide District Attorney Mark Hurlbert's.
Both former Denver District Attorney Norm Early, and Hurlbert's opponent in
this fall's campaign, Bruce Brown, say Wednesday's decision to drop the
Bryant case will have political implications for the district attorney's bid
to be re-elected in November.
Early said the Bryant case is the one people will talk about when they
discuss this district attorney's race.
"It remains to be seen how this case will effect Mark Hurlbert's political
future," said Early. "There's no question that this case will result in a
referendum on his candidacy for district attorney."
Hurlbert, a Republican running his first political campaign, was appointed
in Dec. 2002 by Gov. Bill Owens. Brown, Hurlbert's Democratic opponent, said
he's trying to move the discussion along from inflamed rhetoric to
suggestions and solutions.
"I am not a single-issue or single-case candidate. I'm running because the
problems that surfaced in the Kobe Bryant case have plagued the tenure of
this district attorney," said Brown, who lives in Clear Creek County.
"People now see what the issues are and see the need for change.
"I want to focus on how we make things better, and not what went wrong,
unless it's for the purpose of making things better," Brown added.
Hurlbert withdrew from prosecuting Bryant, citing the number of other cases
his office was handling. He also said he had confidence his prosecution team
of Ingrid Bakke, Gregg Crittenden and Dana Easter
Brown said he would have taken the lead in Bryant's prosecution.
"If we're successful you give credit to hard work and if we're not
successful I take responsibility for that failure," said Brown. "If you
don't have a good case you wait until you do. If you never do, you don't go
forward."
Hurlbert will not comment publicly until next week, when he has agreed to
talk about the Bryant case and other issues with the Vail Daily.
Brown said it's time put the Bryant case behind and learn whatever lessons
it can teach.
"I want to look at how we can get past the Kobe Bryant case," said Brown.
"I'm looking forward to making victims in particular feel comfortable in
court and feel protected by the district attorney when they're the victim of
a crime.
"Also, the people of Eagle County need to know their tax dollars will not be
wasted," said Brown. "That means having trials in cases where crimes occur."
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