Washington Post clears reporter Felicia Sonmez after ‘ill timed’ Kobe Bryant rape case tweet sparked death threats
- Felicia Sonmez received tremendous blowback from tweets, including death threats and abuse
- She was initially placed on administrative leave, resulting in backlash from newsroom staff
In a statement, the Post said that an internal review had determined that political reporter Felicia Sonmez was “not in clear and direct violation of our social media policy”, but that the tweets were “ill-timed”.
Sonmez’s tweet came in the hours after Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash Sunday.
“We consistently urge restraint, which is particularly important when there are tragic deaths. We regret having spoken publicly about a personnel matter,” the statement signed by managing editor Tracy Grant said.
The paper had come under some intense internal criticism for having taken action against Sonmez. Hundreds of Post staffers had signed a letter from the Washington Post Newspaper Guild on Monday expressing “alarm and dismay” over the move and urging executive editor Marty Baron and managing editor Tracy Grant to ensure Sonmez’s safety.
The reporter’s tweet had come amid widespread public mourning over the shocking deaths of Bryant and eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and drew considerable backlash on social media. The Post reported that Sonmez received threats of death and rape and had to move to a hotel after her home address was published online.