Washington Post criticised for suspending reporter who tweeted on Kobe Bryant

The Washington Post has faced criticism for placing a reporter on involuntary leave after she tweeted about the rape allegations against deceased basketball champion Kobe Bryant.

According to a New York Times report, Felicia Sonmez, a political journalist who writes for The Post, tweeted the link to an old article on a rape case against the NBA superstar within hours after news of his death in a chopper crash took the media by storm.

Bryant (41), who was the leading face of the Los Angeles Lakers during his career, died in a helicopter crash on January 26, which also claimed the life of his 13-year-old daughter.

Amid the flood of tributes flowing in for Bryant on the social media on January 26, Sonmez’s tweet drew immense backlash on Twitter, several social media users attacked her for sharing a 2016 Daily Beast article, titled, “Kobe Bryant’s Disturbing Rape Case: The DNA Evidence, the Accuser’s Story, and the Half-Confession.”.

While the Managing Editor of The Post, Tracy Grant, asked Somnez to delete the tweet, the publication's Executive Editor Marty Baron sent her a mail that read, “A real lack of judgment to tweet this. Please stop. You’re hurting this institution by doing this.”

Grant also issued a statement that stated that Sonmez was placed on administrative leave while the publication reviewed her actions to see if it violated their social media policy.

Dozens of journalists, however, have criticised the move. Members of the Washington Post Newspaper Guild issued a statement on January 27 that read, “We understand the hours after Bryant’s death Sunday was a fraught time to share reporting about past accusations of sexual assault. The loss of such a beloved figure, and of so many other lives, is a tragedy. But we believe it is our responsibility as a news organization to tell the public the whole truth as we know it — about figures and institutions both popular and unpopular, at moments timely and untimely.”

In 2003, Bryant was arrested after being accused of raping a 19-year-old hotel employee. While he claimed he had consensual sex, the accuser did not share his views. The charges against Bryant were dropped in 2005 after an out-of-court settlement.