It's second nature for the left to immediately exploit anything to further their agenda. They eat, drink, sleep, and breathe politics, so everything is seen and used through a political lens.
A terrorist blows up a federal building (McVeigh)? Blame talk radio.
Senator Wellstone dies in a plane crash? Hold a pep rally at his funeral.
A group of privileged white guys are accused of raping a black woman (Duke LAX)? Lynch 'em, who needs a trial? A group of black guys are accused of beating a white kid nearly to death (Jena 6)? Even putting them on trial is racist.
So why not immediately use the fact that Rhodes got smashed up to claim that she was "mugged" by political enemies to "shut her up"? To do otherwise would have been out of (lack of) character.
A group of black guys are accused of beating a white kid nearly to death (Jena 6)?
I think they they were convicted of the beating, but the point still remains.