EAGLE, Colo. -- Prosecutor Mark Hurlbert will announce today whether his office will charge Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant with the sexual assault of a 19-year-old Colorado woman, but Hurlbert already has informed the alleged victim's family of his decision, the Vail Daily News reports.

The public announcement of the decision will be made at 5 p.m. ET at the county's justice center, Betty Nestor of the county district attorney's office announced Thursday.

Bryant's Denver-based attorney, Pamela Mackey, has scheduled a news conference at 9 p.m. ET time tonight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, but there is no word whether Bryant will be there.

The Daily News also reported today that the alleged victim's family retained a lawyer, Rob Wheeler of Georgetown, Md. Wheeler made his first appearance at Thursday's hearing at which the Vail Daily News and other newspapers argued for dispatch records to the alleged victim's house.

Bryant, 24, turned himself in to authorities July 4. The 19-year-old woman alleged he attacked her at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in nearby Edwards on June 30.

His attorney has said the five-time NBA All-Star is innocent and was in Colorado for knee surgery at a Vail clinic. In a brief interview with the Los Angeles Times, Bryant said he "would never do something like that.''

Bryant attended the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, but avoided the media in his first public appearance since his arrest. He sat in the audience smiling and laughing with his wife, Vanessa.

In this mountain town about 100 miles west of Denver, the case has caused quite a stir.

Janelle Medina, 19, tools about town in her maroon Subaru Legacy sedan with "#8 Lakers!!" and "Kobe is innocent" painted on the windows.

"People think they're going to sit around and voice their opinions. Well I'm going to voice my opinions, too, on my car," Medina said.

Dozens of journalists from around the country stream through the middle-class cul-de-sac where the woman lives with her parents. Television satellite trucks are parked outside the county justice center, which houses both the district attorney's office and the sheriff's office.

Pedro Maldonado, a waiter and bartender at a Mexican restaurant, said the captive audience has helped business.

"You can never have too many tourists," he said.

While Glenn Lowe, the manager of the town's Best Western, appreciates the extra business, he's still sad to see it in his back yard.

"I think it's unfortunate for all those involved. The negativity of the circumstances are not a reflection of the area," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.