The case against NBA star Kobe Bryant was dropped on Wednesday. Prosecuters said they had no choice but to stop pursuing the sexual assault charge because the victim would not testify.

With the parents of the 20-year-old alleged victim watching, Judge Ruckriegle dismissed the case under a deal that means no charges can be refilled. 'The people have filed a motion to dismiss this case based on the fact the sole victim at this time is unable to go forward,' District Attorney Mark Hurlbert told the judge.

The woman's attorney stated that his client had had an extremely difficult time during the process of bringing the case to trial. She was also upset that her name and medical history had been released accidentally by the state. The case began to unravel for the prosecution when the defense announced that it would call a forensics expert that the prosecution had originally enlisted to testify, presumably about whether the woman’s injuries could have been caused by consensual sex. The defense has also alleged that the woman may have had sex with one or two other partners in the same time period as the alleged rape.

Opening statements would have begun next Tuesday in this case that has taken 14 months to get to trial. Bryant, 26, was accused of raping the then 19-year-old alleged victim at a resort near Vail, Colorado last summer. If convicted, LA Laker Bryant could have spent from four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation and a fine of up to $750,000.

In a startling move, Bryant issued an apology after it was announced the case had been dismissed. 'Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did,' Bryant said. He still faces a federal civil lawsuit filed by the alleged victim that seeks unspecified damages but this may be settled out of court.

Victim’s rights advocates in many states are worried about what sort of message this sends to women who may find themselves in a similar situation. Will women be less likely to come forward for fear of finding themselves and their pasts on trial?

In this case, there are no winners. Bryant’s life and that of the young woman have been irreparably damaged. We will never know what truly happened in that hotel room in Colorado and nor should we. Hopefully, now both parties can get on with their lives.