Kobe Bryant didn’t know how lucky he was in 2003 when he was accused by a 19 year old hotel employee in Colorado of rape. In those days a guy with money and power like Harvey Weinstein and Kobe Bryant got away with rape simply by intimidating the accuser. At first Kobe lied to police about having sex with the young woman – eventually he claimed it was consensual but had a hard time explaining the bruises on her neck where he strangled her. The woman’s name was RELEASED to the press and she received so many death threats from Kobe fans that she had to move. She lost faith in the legal system and refused (was afraid) to testify, so charges were dropped. Kobe made a strange “apology” to her and her family and settled a civil suit she later filed for an estimated 2.5 million. If this had happened today, Kobe would likely have been convicted of rape, and his image tarnished forever. It’s a miracle that his wife Vanessa forgave him…
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16 Comments
While this is true, what good is it to bring it up again?
There were 9 people killed and countless family members left with a lifetime of grief.
Perhaps your time would be better spent writing something positive about some of them?
This world could use something inspiring right now.
Except he didn’t rape her. It was consensual until it was over
Yes, thank you for bringing this up to offset the saint-ifying that is going on right now.
They keep referring to it obliquely as his “complicated legacy”.
No one is saying is wasn’t a great basketball player. That he didn’t do charity work. That he wasn’t a father to his kids.
But you know, he did rape that young women, so I guess it’s…complicated.
Hillary Clinton. P. Diddy killing Tupac, Jay-Z selling drugs to children
JNUT is just jealous that it wasn’t her he raped. She’s into that type of thing with hung black men.
JNUT is just jealous that it wasn’t her he raped. She’s into that type of thing with hung black men.
Not appropriate…as stated above, 9 people are dead including children. Save the venom for another time.
I agree, this man was no saint. How easy it is to forget an athlete’s history.
I used to like you Janet…but this was over the line. You werent brazen enough to mention this last week…no wait until he dies to rekindle this. What balls you have.
Actually I believe she has mentioned it before now. The reason to bring it up now is because he is in the news and people are only discussing one side of his life.
It’s not venom to remind people that it hasn’t always been magical behavior on his part.
In 2003 it was revealed that basketball players were players on and off the field. The Kobe case made players conscious of getting authorized consent and NDAs. In 2020 the outcome of the Kobe’s legal case would have been the same BUT he would have become a pariah.
But consider this: Kobe was never outed as a serial womanizer or rapist. After this one incident he worked hard to repair his marriage and by all accounts became a loving husband and father– even more so in retirement.
No one has forgotten; it has been brought up quickly and repeatedly. No one knows what the victim has been doing through the years or what she is feeling now. And while money doesn’t solve what happened, millions of women are assaulted and left without a $2.5 million settlement. It is ok to honor Kobe now and to mention this one moral failing but it shouldn’t overwhelm all his goodness and greatness.
Im with Suliaki, 9 people have died and you are bringing up something that happened years ago while these families are in mourning….absolutely inappropriate… if this was so important to bring up why now right after hes died?…. you had your chance to be nasty about this so have a little respect when there is a woman with her 3 children traumatized and inconsolable over the loss of their father, they dont need this right now…. unbelievable.
Definitely in bad taste. If the motivation was to get more comments on your posts, it worked.
Too soon, Janet.
But, but, but… we MUST believe all women! We must practice our oh-so-woke leftist agenda. All men are pigs! Women NEVER lie!
Oh, and BTW folks, Janet has blocked comments for the Bruce Jenner in a dress thread at the beginning of the threads, because free speech for lefties only applies to what they believe!
Low blow Janet! This is so wrong to bring this up when he had consensual $#& and was acquitted. He was NOT a rapist and digging dirt like this will not work to cast blemish on his legacy. Love your site but will cancel if this defamation continues because of clicks