Was Kobe Bryant's Arrest Legit?

Should NBA superstar Kobe Bryant (search) have been subject to an arrest for his alleged sexual assault of a 19-year-old hotel worker?

The sheriff in Eagle County, Colo. sought a warrant after the district attorney said he wanted to wait for DNA tests before deciding how to proceed.

So was Bryant's arrest legit?

Here's how it works in county politics all across the country. County sheriffs are elected and they have separate responsibilities to seek an arrest, separate from those of the district attorney.

In this case, the sheriff got a warrant signed by a judge, so it wasn't on the sheriff's judgment alone.

Now I know that my very own Judge Andrew Napolitano thinks I'm wrong about this, but I worked county politics in the West for a long time and I can tell you there isn't the slightest thing unusual about this.

Because county sheriffs are elected, they feel the need to demonstrate to their constituents that they are vigorously enforcing the law — no matter what the DA is doing or not doing.

Having said all that... the issue for Bryant is simple. Did anything go on with that young woman that was against her will?

If so, he's toast. If not, he's just battered and might have a chance to reclaim his reputation.

The wheels of justice grind on.

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