Customer Reviews

Dead Women Tell No Tales : Who Planned the Murder of the Witness in the Kobe Bryant Rape Case - an Expose

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In 2003, basketball super-star Kobe Bean Bryant was accused of rape. During the media circus that followed the revelations, it was suddenly announced that Swiss bodyguard, Patrick Graber, was arrested for solicitation of murder - allegedly offering to murder Bryant's accuser for $3 million. Mr. Graber later plea-bargained the charge down to grand theft, to which he pleaded no-contest, and was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $191,000 in restitution.

In this book, Patrick Graber's story is fictionalized, and told by Keith Quillin. The story begins with Graber's life in the security services of the Republic of the Seychelles, when it was a one-party Socialist state, and weaves a story that would do James Bond proud. Along the way, we see Graber's evolution as a man, as he learns to do the unthinkable, when ordered to, and finally ends up trapped within a web, used as a pawn in a game involving Bryant and others.

So, the question becomes, what is the truth here? Well, the short answer is, I just don't know. The fictionalized story, filled with guns, sex, and daring-do makes for an exciting read. However, its exciting nature gives the story a real feeling of pure fiction, which means that you don't take its claims seriously. What parts are fiction, and what parts are non-fiction? I'm afraid I just couldn't figure that out. It's a real exciting book, I'll give it that, but is it an expose? Read and decide that for yourself.

When the original story surfaced about Kobe and the alleged rape I immediately became a Kobe hater even though I am a big Laker fan. Reading this book I thought would bolster my opinion about his dirty deed. Unfortunately, this story doesn't really sell me any more than before on Kobe's guilt. I pretty much feel the same; he probably did it but through a tremendous image makeover everyone has forgiven the NBA MVP. Everyone has moved on , including me as I now applaud the player for his basketball talents, pushing aside what may have been. The book is just not convincing enough; compelling but not convincing. When I read this book several months back I immediately thought this book is more about Patrick Graber. The first several chapters details Patrick Graber's clandestine life as a sort of mercenary that tries (successfully?)to prove the valor and honor of this throwback miltary man. The problem is he seems to go to the highest bidder which doesn't exactly prove his integrity. Somewhere along the way in the first chapters Kobe is introduced and the relationship(bodyguard) he had with Graber but it is mostly about Graber and his operations in faraway countries. The book has quite a cast of characters(lots of name dropping) but the depth to which they are explored, with the exception of Graber, is pretty shallow. After reading this book I felt the story (Graber's version)would never hold up in a court of law so therefore things remain the same; he probably did it but it was never proved. If you are curious about the story of the man who was arrested for planning to take a hit on Katelyn than read this book, this is his version of events that led to his being set up and arrested. Is the book entertaining? Yes, in a sordid sort of way. Does it prove Kobe raped Katelyn Faber? No, but it stil makes you wonder. She has since married and has a child and Kobe is in the Finals matching up in the classic Celtics-Lakers rivalry. Let the games begin.

You'll pardon me if I don't get overly excited about Kobe Bryant finally winning his first NBA MVP award. My personal opinion is that Bryant is a man who willfully raped a defenseless young woman in Colorado and then assaulted her again in the court of public opinion before essentially buying his way out of a serious criminal conviction. This expose by Bryant's former bodyguard does nothing but reinforce my negative opinion of the superstar - that's only to be expected, of course, because Patrick Graber definitely has an axe to grind against his former employer. Graber is the man who did time in prison for supposedly plotting to kill the rape victim, and this book - cowritten with Keith Quillan - represents his attempt to clear his name and to vilify Bryant for setting him up as a fall guy in order to deflect media attention away from himself in the days leading up to his trial. Graber's credibility is a real concern here because he really has no evidence beyond his word to back up what he is saying. Unfortunately, I found him to be less than forthcoming regarding certain parts of his life, so I really don't know how much of his story to believe.

Somewhat to my surprise, Dead Women Tell No Tales was far less scathing an expose than I had anticipated. In fact, we are made privy to only a handful of occasions in which Graber and Bryant were together. This book is more about Patrick Graber than it is about Kobe Bryant. The first section of the book represents a conscious attempt on the part of the writers to deal with the credibility issue by recounting Graber's extended period of loyal service as a member of a secret, elite unit in the Seychelles charged with safeguarding the life of the president. I actually found this to be the most exciting part of the whole book, as it recounts several of the dangerous missions Graber was intimately involved with - including assassinations. His exit from the Seychelles is problematic, however, as it is wrapped in innuendoes about a relationship that developed between Graber and the President's wife - and this book does little to clear the air one way or the other as far as that matter is concerned.

After moving to America and setting up shop in California, Graber went into the bodyguard business and soon counted Kobe Bryant among his clients. Bryant didn't need or use him as a traditional bodyguard, however. According to Graber, he was the man the NBA superstar called (oftentimes in the middle of the night) when he had "private" business to take care of: the transportation of young women to and from Bryant's hotel room, the delivery of hush money (with a little intimidation on the side) to one of those girls who fell out of favor, etc. I don't think Bryant was ever without at least one woman (usually more than one) during each of the meetings Graber describes, and on at least one occasion Graber claims to have seen cocaine in the room.

It is impossible to underestimate the importance of the final meeting between bodyguard and client. Graber describes a furious Bryant insisting that he kill the rape victim in Colorado before the case ever goes to trial, making thinly veiled threats against Graber's wife and children in order to overcome his obvious hesitation. Bryant reportedly had everything planned in such a way that the path would not lead back to his door. Graber insists he had no intention of actually murdering an innocent woman, but it is a fact that he followed the plan outlined by Bryant - up until he was arrested, of course. He spends the rest of the book offering rationalizations as to why he did what he did. The reader must come to his own conclusion as to why such a seemingly smart man would make so many stupid decisions one right after the other. The attempted murder charges against Graber were eventually dropped when he agreed to plea bargain down to a charge of grand theft. That charge ties in to a separate case involving one of the fishiest, most implausible loans I've ever heard of, a fact which does nothing to help Graber's credibility in my eyes.

I really don't know how much of Graber's account to believe. If he is telling the truth, the bulwark of his defense would have to be sheer stupidity. The one thing I do know is that no one involved in any of these events comes out looking good in any way, shape, or form.

A fascinating book, detailing the rise and ultimate fall of Patrick Graber, ex soldier, spy, professional killer and bodyguard. The early chapters of the book provide an interesting insight into a very different world, a world where spies and assassins abound and at times the reader has to take a step back, poke their midriff sharply and remind themselves that this is not the latest Ian Fleming thriller. It's supposedly a true account but unfortunately unbalanced as it only comes from one side. Nevertheless it's a captivating read and once into the main body of the book it cannot be put down. I wavered at times with my sympathies for Graber, a killer, of that there's no doubt, but in Graber's words, killings that were justified - evil people, drug dealers and traitors and although at times Graber wrestles with his conscious the reader sides with him realising that governments really do employ his sort. (And why not?)

And then to the main body of the book - the alleged rape. My sympathies lie with one person and one person only... Katelyn Faber. I've no doubt, in my opinion, whatsoever, that she suffered a serious sexual assault. If that wasn't bad enough she then had to face a media circus, the best legal team Bryant could buy, and even more concerning the might of the NBA and so called fans of Kobe Bryant who they could see doing no wrong. The pressure must have been unbearable and Bryant gets off scott-free with a well worded apology and a slight undisclosed dent in his huge undisclosed fortune. Life's a bitch isn't it?

And then to the interesting part. Patrick Graber accused of solicitation of murder, allegedly offering to murder Bryant's accuser for 3 million dollars. This was a strange one and at times I wondered just how stupid Graber could be taking a step closer to an obvious trap, time and time again. If he was innocent, as he claims in the book, why did he go so far? And can he really have any complaints about getting three years inside. He openly admits he intended to walk away with a million dollars, in effect duping Bryant and his chief of security... Or was it Bryant that duped Graber?

The answers may be hidden in this fascinating whodunit, but unfortunately I couldn't find them.

Ken Scott; Author.
A MILLION WOULD BE NICE: JACK OF HEARTS: THE SUN WILL STILL SHINE TOMORROW

This was somewhat a surprise and at the same time it doesn't shock me at all. Kobe is human and the only differece is he has a lot of money. Hell, give me some (smile). Even though he has been seen as this well balance young man who has handled his success very well he was and is still young. And that type of wealth so early in life has to have an impact on what he thinks, how he carries himself along with what he think he can do to those he like and dislike in his life. And he does both because he is a human being. Now that doesn't make him a bad person it makes him human. As for the book it simply tells what some may have figured out already and at the same time simply makes some people question who Kobe really is. It is funny how people what to tell everything they may know about someone when times are bad. Yet as long as they are good and they are getting their share of the pie, like they what to, everything is ok. It is clear the author is upset with Kobe and maybe Kobe could have handled the situation better, if true. We all have made the mistake of handling situations badly when we could have handled them in a better manner. What is clear is something happen between Kobe and the author or he would have his lips close. Funny how people claim to be so trust worthy until they get ticked off. Whatever happen to a man's word being good. Kobe hopefully has learned that "True friends are far and between" and the only real people in life you can truly trust is yourself and God. But from reading the book I don't think Kobe considered the author a friend. In Kobe's eyes he was an employee and at most an associate. Peace to Kobe and goodluck to the author. Move on with living. The book at most was enlighten and makes you think. Everyone in the book wanted and some got money which was the prize everyone wanted to win. To Kobe - "The making of friends who are real friends, is the best token we have of a man's success in life - Edward E. Hale". Kobe be aware of everyone around you. Men, women, boys, girls, employees and associates. Things are always ok as long as you give them what they want. Kobe go back to your roots and re-evaluate your friends, if not already. Growing up my grandmother always told me "I'm not telling you to do anything wrong but if you do anything do it in such a way no one knows but you and the person you do it with. That way if it get outs you know you didn't tell anyone. God surely didn't tell it (smile). So the only one who could tell is the person you do it with". There were, according to the book, too many people who knew what Kobe was up to. I'm surprise his wife didn't know before Colorado. In this life we live we all make mistakes. The goal is to learn from them. I hope that some day I get a chance to meet Kobe and hopefully have a ten minute conversation with him. Not about all of this but just talk. To the author I hope you make some money and satisfy whatever hunger you may have. Kobe move on and enjoy life as best you can. We all are trying to do that.