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.’

[Atticus]

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.

[A_perfect_lady]

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?

[bramps]

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?

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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.

[a little elbow grease]

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.

****

[mikey_hates_everything]

The pilot doesn’t sound like Kobe. Accented speech. Sikorsky N72EX Audio

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

[ronniesgal]

!!!! I agree with you.

[Vermont Lt]

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.

[a little elbow grease]

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.

[dp0622]

You’re allowed to disagree.

That’s why we live in America :)

[Beagle8U]

“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

[dp0622]

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 :)

[albie]

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

...a very good point.

[Sirius Lee]

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

[qwerty1234]

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

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

[bramps]

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

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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.

[9YearLurker]

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.

[silverleaf]

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

[9YearLurker]

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.

[Vaquero]

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.

[silverleaf]

Timing

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