Washington Post journalist is suspended after tweeting a link to a 2016 story about Kobe Bryant's rape case just hours after he died in helicopter crash

The Daily Mail ^ | 27 Jan 20 | By Ariel Zilber

[SkyPilot]

Washington Post journalist has been suspended by the newspaper after she tweeted a link on Sunday to a years-old story about the Kobe Bryant rape case just hours after the basketball legend and his daughter were killed in a helicopter crash.

Felicia Sonmez, who covers national politics for the Post, took to Twitter shortly after the world learned of Bryant’s death along with eight others aboard his private helicopter which crashed outside of Los Angeles.

She posted a link to an April 2016 story from the news site The Daily Beast which carried the headline: ‘Kobe Bryant’s Disturbing Rape Case: The DNA Evidence, the Accuser’s Story, and the Half-Confession.’

The tweet generated hundreds of shares and thousands of likes as well as many comments.

Sonmez says she has received death threats after posting the tweets.

In follow-up tweets, Sonmez wrote: ‘Well, THAT was eye-opening.

Bryant was arrested and charged with sexual assault and false imprisonment after a 19-year-old woman alleged he raped her in a local hotel room

‘To the 10,000 people (literally) who have commented and emailed me with abuse and death threats, please take a moment and read the story - which was written 3+ years ago, and not by me.

‘Any public figure is worth remembering in their totality even if that public figure is beloved and that totality unsettling.’

Sonmez continued: ‘That folks are responding with rage and threats toward me (someone who didn’t even write the piece but found it well-reported) speaks volumes about the pressure people come under to stay silent in these cases.’

[AAABEST]

Obviously you are already sheltering in place because speaking like that to another’s face would get you hit in the real world.

Gee another online threat - from another old douche.

Go back to suckling Kobe.

[Vermont Lt]

You hear a lot of threats?

Either you never married (most likely), or your spouse left you.

No person, used to being around other humans, talks to people like that. Were you raised by wolves?

[Vermont Lt]

You hear a lot of threats?

Either you never married (most likely), or your spouse left you.

No person, used to being around other humans, talks to people like that.

Were you raised by wolves?

[SkyPilot]

It seems pretty clear he forced himself on the woman. Her blood was on his t-shirt, she had dozens of small vaginal injuries. She went immediately to the hospital, so it’s not something she thought up years later. She dropped the criminal case in exchange for an apology, after being told that a he-said, she-said with a multi-millionaire who had thousands of fans was not going to go well for her.

All true Charles. Yes, it’s interesting to see the variances of people’s opinions on this. Also, those comparing the Bryant accusations to Judge Kavanaugh.....simply ridiculous.

[JudgemAll]

Nope, him raping is not a minor detail at all. The possession in people,likes to watch himself on TV, and the satan incarnated is celebs like Kobe who give bodily rewards to viewers through their possession whenever they talk of him, Clinton or whomever raping someone.

This being said, many women report honest people’s tales to satan, and as a result never go after a rapist as energetically as they would after a competing female or a divorcing husband. Rape hurts them physically, but emotionaly the possession rewards them for it. They end up fcked up. It is so bad that many a Chaplin in the military will tell you they do not believe rape of women is actually real. Now, that rape of men that goes unreported and result in suicide, is very real. These types get humiliated and fed to the wolves.

[9YearLurker]

Agreed all around. Reflects I think the hollowness (for far too many) of our modern American life. Part of it is the apparently natural excess of social media.If he weren’t already worth a gazillion, millions would have been raised for him online by now.

[AAABEST]

I'm happily married for 23 years and very successful. Sorry to disappoint you.

So nobody has ever told you to get fk'd after you make veiled, public threats to strangers? Sorry to bust your cherry and hurt your sensitive feels.. over "Kobe" the teen-rapist.

GTFO of my inbox already, idiot.

[a little elbow grease]

People make mistakes. >>>>>

Raping someone is not a "mistake." It devastates the women and her family - sometimes for generations. I guess we're all supposed to sentimentally weep for the POS because he played ball... or something.

Fk "Kobe" and idiot American who sports/entertainment hero worship.

___________________

........ well said. Many people are quite ignorant about many of these athletes and entertainers.

[a little elbow grease]

"Does ANYBODY here read the new testament or just the old, spiteful, vengeful one?"

____________

That is a very foolish question considering the context.

[3boysdad]

Not only that, they obviously have no clue what lies ahead.

[kearnyirish2]

My understanding is that he wasn’t tried or convicted of any rape.

[Vermont Lt]

Listen child...23 is but a walk in the woods.

And by the time I reached that age I had retired once. So good for you.

And I’ve guns pulled on me. I’ve been shot at. Trust me, your righteous little rant means nothing. Other than the fact you never read what I wrote, you added a whole bunch of crap, and you are a petulant asshole.

Have I missed anything?

Is that your mom calling you. Time to move out of the trailer now that you got the assistant managers job.

And your dog smells.

[Vermont Lt]

And how many entertainers and sports figures have you spent time with?

None?

I thought so. But the guy in high school that “went pro” has filled you in on it all.

[Kickass Conservative]

Please Post AFTER you know the facts. Kobie owned the Helicopter, he didn’t Pilot the Helicopter.

Good God. I click on these Threads to see if anyone has any factual information of the cause of the Crash and all I get are people judging Kobie’s Morality or implying he somehow caused the Crash.

WTH is going on around here? None people died in this tragedy, Husbands, Wives and Children. Offer Prayers and Condolences for them and their Families, not this garbage.

Cast the first Stone and all that Jazz...

[AAABEST]

lol - are you still babbling? How much time did you spend writing that?

Thanks for the laugh - but this is why John needs to install an "ignore" button.

[Vermont Lt]

It took 20 seconds.

How long did it take to read? Time yourself. Once with your mouth moving...and once just tracking the words with your finger.

[qwerty1234]

>>My understanding is that he wasn’t tried or convicted of any rape.

Neither was Bill Clinton

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I have no apology or remorse.

[Kickass Conservative]

>>>I have no apology or remorse<<<

I just pointed out your Ignorance of which person was Piloting the Helicopter as stated in your OP.

You could just say something like Me Bad or My Mistake as most people do here when they made a factual error, but you choose not to correct the record.

The additional comments I made were a response to multiple Posters veering off the topic and attacking Kobie’s Character and Morality, lacking any respect for the positive changes he made in his Life, granting him forgiveness for the mistakes he made and providing sympathy and understanding to all the People affected by this Tragedy.

Those comments were not directed at you, unless you were also part of the group that seems to enjoy piling on.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Nope. Shouldn’t have been flying in that weather.