Bryant’s accuser reimburses victim-compensation fund

DENVER – The woman who accused Kobe Bryant of rape repaid $20,000 to Colorado’s victim compensation fund about a week after reaching a settlement in her civil lawsuit against the NBA star.Under state law, victim’s compensation must be repaid when there is a civil award, regardless of the outcome of a criminal case. The money was repaid Thursday.The 20-year-old woman reached an undisclosed settlement with Bryant on March 2. Her lawsuit, filed in Denver federal court, sought unspecified damages for mental injuries, humiliation and public scorn after her June 2003 encounter with Bryant at the Vail-area resort where she worked.The suit was filed seven months ago, just before prosecutors dropped the criminal charge against Bryant because the woman did not want to go ahead with a trial.Bryant had pleaded not guilty to the criminal charge and said the two had consensual sex.The victim compensation money became the subject of a heated dispute during the criminal proceedings when Bryant’s attorneys suggested it gave the woman motivation to press charges.John Clune, one of the woman’s attorneys, declined to comment on the reimbursement. He said he is prohibited from talking about the case under the terms of the civil settlement.Vail, Colorado