EAGLE, Colo. (AP) — Kobe Bryant's defense team resumed arguments behind closed doors Monday, challenging Colorado's rape-shield law that generally bars attorneys from bringing up an alleged victim's sexual history.

The last major pretrial disputes in the sexual assault case against the NBA star could be argued this week, potentially paving the way for a trial date to be set.

State District Judge Terry Ruckriegle has indicated he wants to wrap up arguments by Wednesday on two defense motions that experts believe could decide the outcome of the case: the relevancy of the alleged victim's sexual past and whether certain evidence was gathered illegally.

Bryant's lawyers have said the 19-year-old accuser had multiple sexual partners in the days before and soon after her encounter with the Los Angeles Lakers star. They say that could explain injuries found on the woman during a hospital examination.

Story continues

advertisement

Such details are generally barred under the state rape-shield law. Judges, however, can hear such testimony in private to determine whether the information is relevant and admissible as evidence.

Bryant, 25, has said he had consensual sex with the woman last summer at the Vail-area resort where she worked. If convicted, he could get four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation.

The NBA star returned to Colorado on Monday for the hearing. His court appearance comes with his team is in the middle of a playoff series with the Houston Rockets. The Lakers play Houston in Game 5 Wednesday.

Several witnesses, including the woman, already have testified in private during hearings earlier this spring.

The judge reserved Tuesday to resume a closed-door hearing over a defense request to throw out evidence, including Bryant's recorded statement to investigators and a T-shirt stained with the woman's blood.

Depending on progress on those issues, Ruckriegle has said he would hear arguments on several other topics Wednesday, including requests by the alleged victim and prosecutors to have Bryant enter a plea and to set a trial date.

The attorney for the alleged victim asked the judge last month to quickly schedule a trial so she could have an idea of when she can move on with her life.

The request was accompanied by a letter from the woman's mother, who said her daughter lives on the run from the media and is the target of death threats.