Bryant accuser must identify herself in lawsuit

The name of the woman who accused basketball ace Kobe Bryant of sexual assault will be made public in the civil lawsuit she is pressing against him, a federal judge has ruled.

In making the ruling, Judge Richard Matsch said that allowing the 20-year-old woman to remain anonymous could be misconstrued by a jury as a prejudgment in the case.

Lawyers for the woman, who intends to follow through with the case, had asked Matsch to protect her identity, saying she has faced death threats.

Prosecutors dropped felony charges against Los Angeles Laker Bryant last month after his accuser refused to testify.