I was very saddened and slightly angered by Gayle King's recent line of questioning regarding Kobe Bryant's court case from the early 2000s. In an interview with basketball star Lisa Leslie who was also a close friend of Kobe, the way Gayle brought up Kobe's past was not appropriate. Yes there was an incident in which he was accused of sexual assault, however the case was dismissed. Does that mean he was innocent of a crime? Absolutely not. As a matter of fact he admitted to having a sexual encounter with his accuser, but the case was handled in a court of law and the outcome is what it is.
As a woman, I take abuse of anybody -- especially women -- VERY seriously. In NO way would I ever dismiss or trivialize the fact that an accuser or victim has been assaulted, abused, mistreated or hurt. That is something that is always very serious to me and deserves severe consequences.
As a journalist, I would never be that insensitive to bring up negative things about someone's legacy so close to their death. Yes there was that incident involving Kobe in 2003, but to bring it up in an interview just days after the man died so tragically and unexpectedly? No ma'am. Where is the compassion, the empathy and the value in all of the positive things Kobe stood for?
That unfortunate incident is part of his legacy true enough, but it was how it was intertwined into the interview that I have a problem with. When speaking on the deceased please consider their family, friends and people like me who didn't even know Kobe personally but still feel a great amount of sorrow from his death. Remember, the departed cannot defend themselves.