EAGLE, Colo. – Access to the Eagle County district attorney's office has been restricted because of the high volume of requests for information from reporters covering the sexual assault allegation against Kobe Bryant (search).
The door to the office, which previously had been open to the public, is now locked and posted with a sign saying the office is closed. A phone number is posted for visitors to leave messages.
Threats have been made against District Attorney Mark Hurlbert (search), but the decision to restrict access to his Eagle office had nothing to do with the threats, spokeswoman Krista Flannigan said Monday.
"When they had it locked, most knocks were from the media," she said. "They put the note on the door so they could get their work done."
Hurlbert has filed a felony charge of sexual assault against Bryant, a Los Angeles Lakers (search) star accused of assaulting a 19-year-old Eagle woman June 30.
Bryant has said the sex was consensual. His initial court appearance is scheduled Aug. 6.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is taking the threats seriously, spokesman Pete Mang has said. He was unavailable for comment Monday, his receptionist said.
The FBI has been notified of the threats, spokeswoman Ann Atanasio said. Under FBI policy, she could not confirm whether an investigation has been opened.
Neither Flannigan nor Atanasio would characterize the nature of the threats.
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