Past Accusations Could Halt Kobe Bryant's Oscar Chances
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia area basketball player Kobe Bryant is up for an Oscar this year with his animated short about retiring from basketball, but will past harassment claims impact his chances of winning in this era of the "Time's Up" movement?
In 2003, basketball star Kobe Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old concierge in a Colorado hotel room. While charges were filed, the victim received a settlement and the case was dropped.
Fifteen years later, Bryant is being hailed as an Oscar nominee, but in these times of #metoo and #timesup, will his past hurt his chances of winning?
"The fact that he's up for an award indicates to me that they already have forgotten or that they just don't care or both," said Emily Cooper Morse, founder and lead organizer of the Women's March on Philadelphia. "I don't know why Hollywood is willing to forgive and forget some and just willing to completely write off others."
She says there's still a long way to go when it comes to giving a voice to the victims.
"Kobe was never put on trial, he was never convicted, but the reason why the 'Time's Up' movement was founded was so that women could have the funds needed to actually fight their battles legally."
Bryant's six-minute animated film is a love letter to basketball in which he announces his retirement and what the sport meant to him.