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January 28, 2020

Washington Post Suspends Reporter for Tweet About Kobe Bryant Rape Allegation
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The Washington Post is under fire after it suspended a reporter for
tweeting about a rape allegation against basketball superstar Kobe
Bryant, who died Sunday in a helicopter crash that also killed Bryant's
13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. Felicia Sonmez posted a
link to a Daily Beast article about the 2003 sexual assault allegation
against Bryant, which was met with immediate backlash by other users. In
a now-deleted post, Sonmez wrote in response to the criticism, "Any
public figure is worth remembering in their totality even if that public
figure is beloved and that totality unsettling. 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." The
newspaper's own media reporter and the Washington Post Guild both
condemned the move to put Sonmez on leave.


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