Female Journalist Suspended After Tweeting Kobe Bryant Rape Article

[BorneoBabe]

She didn't even write it, she tweeted it.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/kobe-bryant-rape-case-felicia-somnez-washington-post-journalist-suspended-twitter-a9303736.html

Oh dear. It is not a big secret - it was even discussed in serious, hushed tones on the World at One today.

"During the preliminary hearing, Det. Winters testified that the accuser had been examined the day after the alleged assault by Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) at the Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

“[The nurse] stated that there were several lacerations to the victim’s posterior fourchette or vaginal area, and two of those lacerations were approximately one centimeter in length,” testified Det. Winters. “And there were many, I believe, 2 millimeter lacerations. Too many to count… [The nurse] stated that the injuries were consistent with penetrating genital trauma. That it’s not consistent with consensual sex.”"

www.thedailybeast.com/kobe-bryants-disturbing-rape-case-the-dna-evidence-the-accusers-story-and-the-half-confession

Oh my god, I thought you meant suspended on Twitter! She's been put on administrative leave by the Washington Post

I'm seeing a scary slip towards a sort of 'online' totalitarianism - driven by social media sites like twitter. Things like this - and "Stop Funding Hate" wanting to stop journalists writing things they don't like - it's frightening.

Women are getting hounded out of their jobs for saying things and posting things. Whether anyone agrees with what anybody else is saying or not, this is a terrible situation we are currently in.

So, the #metoo movement passed quickly, didn't it?

WTF?

On The World at One, they said he'd settled out of court re the rape allegations.

Totally over the top reaction by the Washington Post. Bryant eventually settled out of court when a private prosecution was brought against him.

If she does lose her job I hope she sues for thousands.

I can see the timing was tasteless but she was posting in full context - man being held up as hero etc.

I too thought you meant she'd been suspended from Twitter. Suspended from her job - OMD.

I can't understand this. Every single news report I read mentioned it. NPR had an interview this morning with a female sports reporter who clearly admired him greatly and still raised the question and she talked about covering the trial.

I also don't think the timing was tasteless. This was part of his life and legacy - needs to be faced.

That’s chilling.

I notice Obama is reported to have said, “He was a legend on the court,” and I wondered if this was him being careful.

So, the #metoo movement passed quickly, didn't it?

it sometimes feels like a lot of what we are currently seeing is a massive backlash to #metoo.

it feels especially cruel because a lot of women faced a lot of deeply personal uncomfortable truths about what had happened to them with #metoo, but did so in a spirit of sisterhood and the belief that things were turning, about to get a lot better for women.

I'm totally on board with me too, we believe you etc.

I hadn't heard of him, which may affect how I feel.

If she is being punished when others are allowed to mention it, that's not fair.

I would have not have circulated that within 24 hours of a tragic incident.

Was just coming on to post about this. It's grim to see all this outpouring of love for someone who by all accounts is a remarkable sportsman. But to be a journalist, and be suspended for sharing the news?

Awful. And the story behind it makes for horrific reading.

www.thedailybeast.com/kobe-bryants-disturbing-rape-case-the-dna-evidence-the-accusers-story-and-the-half-confession

the Tweets about the journalist are terrible. It's all "don't speak ill of the dead" but I can also see that seeing someone being spoken of this way, as if he was marvellous, is just awful.

Yet if she tweeted an article about Jimmy savile probably no one would have bothered.

Yet if she tweeted an article about Jimmy savile probably no one would have bothered.
He hasn't just died.

The way I see it is when someone dies they were someone's spouse/partner/sibling/child/parent/friend. In the immediate days after death it doesn't take much to show consideration for them. They're still here and grieving.

Nobody should erase the horrible actions of the deceased, but there's such thing as timing.

I don't think she should have been suspended though.

She was actually suspended for doxxing. A lot of articles since his death do address the allegations in a straightforward way. It’s not a secret and is being widely written about.

MN deleted at least one thread discussing those allegations yesterday - the silencing of discussion of this subject is closer to home than you think...

Apparently, it wasn't "in the spirit of the site". So much for "we believe you", eh?

Ms Sonmez also added a tweet that contained a screenshot of her email inbox with a message containing verbal abuse and the name of the sender clearly visible, which may be the reason for her suspension.

If someone wants to send abuse, they should be prepared for it to be shared, dont want it shared? Then dont send it

If someone wants to send abuse, they should be prepared for it to be shared, dont want it shared? Then dont send it

Yes but that’s against WaPo employee policy so they have every right to suspend her. She should have taken them to the police rather than shared screenshots online with identifying information.

the silencing of discussion of this subject

There is no widespread silencing of it and many articles published since his death reference the rape case.

That the general public seem not to care or is conversely enraged by having it brought up is another matter entirely

I thought this was an interesting discussion:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/a3806228-Kobe-and-Gigi-Bryant-killed-in-helicopter-crash

I don't go along with arguments about not speaking ill of the dead or timing. But then I don't know the full circumstances of the suspension.