LOS ANGELES, July 18 (UPI) -- Holding hands with his wife while his voice cracked, Kobe Bryant on Friday denied the sexual assault charge brought against him.
"I'm innocent," said Bryant, superstar guard of the Los Angeles Lakers who was charged with felony sexual assault earlier Friday in Colorado.
Bryant admitted to cheating on his wife.
"I'm furious at myself, disgusted at myself for making a mistake of adultery," said Bryant, who looked at his wife, Vanessa, and apologized to her.
Harold Haddon, Bryant's Colorado-based attorney who represented the parents of Jon-Benet Ramsey in that highly publicized missing child case, attended the news conference. So did Pamela Mackey, who was once a public defender in the county where the charge was brought.
"Kobe Bryant will plead not guilty," Mackey said. "We are confident that a fair and impartial jury will find Kobe Bryant innocent."
