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A Moment of Silence or
A Moment To Tweet?
Grief erupted across the world on January 26th of 2020 when it was learned that 41-year old basketball icon Kobe Bryant and his 13 year old daughter, Gianna Bryant, had been involved in a helicopter crash that ended their lives.
Most took to social media to celebrate the life of Bryant. There was an outpouring of love on social media from those who loved and knew him, and from those who loved and felt as though they knew him. There were tributes splattered across Twitter and Instagram from other players in the NBA and other celebrities who were saddened and in disbelief of the news. However, Felicia Sonmez decided to remember Bryant’s life in a drastically different way.
Kobe Bryant's
Rape allegation
In July of 2003, Kobe Bryant was accused of a sexual assault. The case never made it to trial due to the accuser’s refusal to testify in court. Just hours after the Lakers’ star’s death, a political reporter by the name of Felicia Sonmez wanted to remind her followers of this skeleton in Bryant’s closet. She tweeted a Daily Beat article from 2016 which included detailed accounts of the accused's statement as well as Bryant’s, and other details surrounding the case. The article is entitled, Kobe Bryant’s Disturbing Rape Case: The DNA Evidence, the Accuser’s Story, and the Half-Confession.
“Well, THAT was eye opening. 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. 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 [come under] to stay silent in these cases.”
OTHER CELEBRITIES
Sonmez was later instructed by Managing Editor, Tracy Grant, to take the tweets down, and that if she did not she’d be “in violation of a directive from a managing editor.”
The Washington Post placed the reporter on an administrative leave, with this explanation from Grant:
“National political reporter Felicia Sonmez was placed on administrative leave while The Post reviews whether tweets about the death of Kobe Bryant violated The Post newsroom’s social media policy. The tweets displayed poor judgment that undermined the work of her colleagues.”
"...even as we express ourselves in more personal and informal ways to forge better connections with our readers, we must be ever mindful of preserving the reputation of The Washington Post for journalistic excellence, fairness and independence."
-Washington Post’s Policies and Standards
“Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect.”
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"Journalists should:
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balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort."
-SPJ Code of Ethics
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Felicia Sonmez Lawsuit
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Many in the newsroom already felt that the Post’s social-media policy was applied unevenly, disproportionately punishing women and reporters of color.
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The suit, which alleges discrimination based on her gender and protected status as a victim of sexual assault, details a level of persecution that is as cruel as it is baffling.
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In September, the Post filed a motion to dismiss Sonmez’s case, claiming that she had waited too long to sue and that the bans that were instated by the editors were the result of her “public advocacy” rather than discrimination against her gender or status as a sexual-assault victim.
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When Sonmez published her tweet about Kobe Bryant, she began to receive death threats. Usually when a reporter’s safety is threatened, the Post provides security and support. Instead, the paper’s management ordered Sonmez to delete the tweets and suspended her. In an email to Sonmez, Grant wrote, “You might want to consider a hotel or a friend’s place for this evening.”
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This suit is expected to play out over the next few months at least
