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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

Posted on 01/27/2020 3:15:13 AM PST by 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.’

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: California; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 247kobe; california; dailybeast; dailymail; districtofcolumbia; feliciasonmez; jeffbezos; kobebryant; kobeworshippers; lakers; losangeles; rape; rapist; thedailybeast; washingtoncompost; washingtonpost
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To: kearnyirish2

The other passengers who perished were college baseball coach John Altobelli and his wife and daughter. I imagine that because both husband and wife died it took longer to notify next of kin. There are lots of articles paying tribute to Coach Altobelli. I saw him coach many Cape Cod league games and his son J.J. played for him one summer on the Cape. Very sad.


41 posted on 01/27/2020 4:22:01 AM PST by Atticus
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To: dp0622

I am surprised by how many Freepers feel that him raping a woman is a minor detail that we should all just let go. If he’d gone after young boys would it be more important?


42 posted on 01/27/2020 4:24:55 AM PST by A_perfect_lady (The greatest wealth is to live content with little. -Plato)
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To: SkyPilot

But if (God forbid) the President passed away, do you think for one minute the media would not be splashing “Impeached!” and “Accused of infidelity!” all over the news?

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

So today’s scumbag media is now your standard? There is a time and place for such commentary. Immediately after was not the time for that tweet.

Nor backing of it here. Doesn’t mean we are ignoring the past. Just that there is a place for discretion. Especially on a site that would call itself Christian.


43 posted on 01/27/2020 4:26:56 AM PST by bramps (It's the Islam, stupid!)
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To: dp0622; SkyPilot
Bro there’s no sense in posting the article about the rape.

___________

I disagree.

If we are going to have to tolerate the drooling MEDIA veneration of Kobe Bryant for days, the real truth of his character (then and now) should be known.

I find all the "love" and adoration very misdirected.

Maybe the strong positive feelings should be directed toward a REAL GOOD MAN -- ex-NFL player, Burgess Owens.

****

44 posted on 01/27/2020 4:27:35 AM PST by a little elbow grease (... to err is human, to admit it unusual...)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
The pilot doesn’t sound like Kobe. Accented speech. Sikorsky N72EX Audio

And 1st thing I thought of was the rape case...

45 posted on 01/27/2020 4:29:19 AM PST by mikey_hates_everything
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To: A_perfect_lady

!!!! I agree with you.


46 posted on 01/27/2020 4:29:34 AM PST by ronniesgal (so I wonder what his FR handle is????)
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To: SkyPilot

The “rape” story was a stick up. No “rape” happened.

Kobe paid a huge price for this. He seemed to have made it good with his wife. And he seemed to have made it good with his God.

People make mistakes. People can be forgiven.

Some of the Christians around here find it difficult to accept that he was forgiven by the people that matter to him.

That’s good enough for me.


47 posted on 01/27/2020 4:30:18 AM PST by Vermont Lt
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
Furthermore, Kobe Bryant probably died because he did not have enough training/knowledge to fly IFR in the fog. Or, probably shouldn’t have been flying in those weather conditions period. Because of a person’s popularity, that person is not allowed to be criticized. Only the poor and unknown can have any blame attributed to them.

______

..... well said.

48 posted on 01/27/2020 4:30:38 AM PST by a little elbow grease (... to err is human, to admit it unusual...)
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To: a little elbow grease

You’re allowed to disagree.

That’s why we live in America :)


49 posted on 01/27/2020 4:30:40 AM PST by dp0622 (Radicals, racists Don't point fingers at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to make ends meet)
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To: dp0622

“He got off by her ACCEPTING a bit settlement.”

Yup, she could have fought off all his high priced lawyers on her maid’s salary./eyeroll


50 posted on 01/27/2020 4:30:48 AM PST by Beagle8U (Did Eric Ciaramella kill Epstein? He didn't kill himself.)
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To: A_perfect_lady

You’re right.

And his daughter is responsible too for that :)

And when you and I die, let’s hope all the grievers don’t talk about any of our sins.

But wait, you’re Perfect, just like it says in your name so you don’t have any sins. Maybe pride :)


51 posted on 01/27/2020 4:31:50 AM PST by dp0622 (Radicals, racists Don't point fingers at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to make ends meet)
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To: redshawk

Notice they never mention the other folks that died. Just saying. ...some lives are forgettable. ..

...a very good point.


52 posted on 01/27/2020 4:32:18 AM PST by albie
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To: SkyPilot

Did she violate some rule of journalism? Was anything in her tweet untrue? Then why the suspension?


53 posted on 01/27/2020 4:33:41 AM PST by Sirius Lee (They are openly stating that they intend to murder us. Prep if you want to live.)
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To: kearnyirish2

>>It is a sad situation regardless of who died.

Actually, when a rapist dies it is not at all sad, not to me anyway.


54 posted on 01/27/2020 4:33:47 AM PST by qwerty1234
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To: SkyPilot

We are all measured by our life - good and bad.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Christ already told us that we are all bad.

Luke 18:19 ;

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

Only through Christ are we forgiven. And on that front we have no idea where Kobe Bryant stood.

Reading many posts here, I have an idea where many here stand.


55 posted on 01/27/2020 4:44:13 AM PST by bramps (It's the Islam, stupid!)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Kobe wasn’t piloting the helicopter. Shoulf they maybe not have gone up at all? I don’t know the procedures and decision-making on that.


56 posted on 01/27/2020 4:44:14 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: SkyPilot

She’s pulling the victim card
She didnt even wait for the wreckage to stop smoking
Outraged female SJW I would guess


57 posted on 01/27/2020 4:49:37 AM PST by silverleaf (Remember kids: You can vote your way into communism, but you have to shoot your way out!)
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To: Vermont Lt

Because someone in a family forgives a rapist isn’t all it takes. Do you forgive John McCain for his repeated treason because his wife and daughter forgive/deny it?

We have no odea if he was guilty of it or not and his fame and fortune could well have contributed with his getting away with it. But we don’t label the supposedly guilty as guilty in this country unless we have substantive proof and/or such a verdict in a court of law.

And yes, of course, we are all mixed, fallen souls and any level of criminal can ultimately be forgiven in Christ.


58 posted on 01/27/2020 4:51:36 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: SkyPilot

Someone in a different thread said that Bryant said he would have taken a knee if he was playing and the national anthem or God bless America was performed. I don’t know the veracity of this, but if true... screw him.


59 posted on 01/27/2020 4:54:06 AM PST by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: Sirius Lee

Timing

Lets retrieve the bodies before posting a salacious story about a man who just died with his child


60 posted on 01/27/2020 4:54:27 AM PST by silverleaf (Remember kids: You can vote your way into communism, but you have to shoot your way out!)
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