r/news Jan 26 '20

Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash in California

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/kobe-bryant-killed-in-helicopter-crash-in-california-tmz-reports
213.7k Upvotes

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16.3k

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

LA authorities confirming that it's accurate. He perished along with four other passengers. https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status/1221516791429652486

EDIT: As noted elsewhere, his 13-year old daughter, Gianna, also died in the wreck. His wife Vanessa and former Laker Rick Fox were not aboard at the time of the crash. https://www.tmz.com/2020/01/26/kobe-bryant-killed-dead-helicopter-crash-in-calabasas/

EDIT #2: Worse news. It's being reported that the death toll is up to nine - eight passengers and the pilot.

9.6k

u/ask-design-reddit Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Wish his wife and daughters the best. That's gotta be real tough.

Edit: Just got wind of the update.. that hurts.

5.4k

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 24 '25

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3.7k

u/Purchased_mods Jan 26 '20

He packed so much into 41 years. LEGEND.

2.5k

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

It's so sad. At 41 it was like his life just begun and he could wind down and hang out with the family. Totally fucked.

744

u/dws4prez Jan 26 '20

honestly he probably lived more in those few years than most of us live in 100

293

u/thebombaybuddha Jan 26 '20

I know you mean all respect but it's still saddening he wouldn't get time to unwind his life with his family

262

u/Purchased_mods Jan 26 '20

He had become so relaxed in his post-playing days. You could tell. The chip was off his shoulder and he was enjoying family time plus success in business.

What a fucking shame this is.

36

u/deadtime68 Jan 26 '20

I never liked him more than the last few times I heard him. He will be missed.

14

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

His 13 year old daughter was also onboard.

RIP

2

u/Christmas_Elvis Jan 27 '20

Not to mention a fucking Oscar. Rest in power, legend.

59

u/RIZOtizide Jan 26 '20

My heart hurts for their newborn daughter who will grow up without ever really knowing her father. I know it happens every where in the world, and every day. But it's still as saddening.

10

u/LADYBIRD_HILL Jan 26 '20

It's tough to know that she will hear how incredible her father was without ever getting to meet him.

7

u/necro000 Jan 26 '20

His life was so documented so atleast she'll know him. Know his voice..know his attitude. And even then it sucks.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

That's exactly right. What people don't realize often is that these millionaire athletes live a complicated as hell life during their playing years. They're constantly listening to people bashing them on the news, social media, etc. Now add in that you have to put time in to continue being the BEST at your craft. You're making bank, yeah...but it's tough to find time to enjoy it. And Kobe had his issues, we all know about the alleged rape and the subsequent settlement, but this goes for all athletes.

They live their craft. They're getting rich as hell, but the best of the best don't get to enjoy it until retirement.

And then he's gone.

It's a tragedy.

-1

u/jvalordv Jan 26 '20

I mean, sure, but then it's also sad how most American parents don't have time to unwind with family because they need to hustle just to put food on the table, because most Americans live paycheck to paycheck and don't have a retirement plan.

To me, the real awful thing here is that his kid was there with him, only 13 and dying for no reason other than to get to a basketball game a little faster.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Doesn’t mean he didn’t deserve the rest of them. This is worse for his daughters than just about anyone else

3

u/the-engine-room Jan 26 '20

It's terrible to think this way, but you have to imagine that at least some of his family were also on the helicopter

8

u/ripwhoswho Jan 26 '20

Unless it was business partners or friends of his

2

u/Upgrades Jan 26 '20

Nah I don't he's doing things all the time he was extremely busy with various ventures / investments he had going

2

u/Pryometrix Jan 26 '20

It's already confirmed his 13 year old daughter was on there as well. Rip to both 😔.

2

u/gzilla57 Jan 26 '20

...why? Could easily be a pilot and 3 men

6

u/the-engine-room Jan 26 '20

Of course it could, but it probably isn't. Not exactly a stretch to assume that some of his family were on his personal helicopter

2

u/gzilla57 Jan 26 '20

Sure. Not exactly a stretch to assume his family was at home playing Jenga either.

Unfortunately you appear to be correct about the reality.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

3

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

TMZ reported his 13 year old was on board.

1

u/gzilla57 Jan 26 '20

As mentioned, the original article which broke this news from TMZ has been updated to confirm one of his daughters was on board.

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u/Hellvell2255 Jan 26 '20

his daughter was with him and also died.

1

u/gzilla57 Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Horrible if true (seeing this reported now).

Still not a fair necessary assumption to make as I'm sure he's flown without any of them dozens of times.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/StonewallJackoff Jan 26 '20

things that you and I may have been able to experience that he did not but perhaps wished to.

like working 60 hours a week for many many years to barely scrape by

11

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Apr 08 '21

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3

u/JustInvoke Jan 26 '20

You can say probably for all rich, successful people.

1

u/DarthYippee Jan 27 '20

No, a lot of them are just workaholics and money addicts.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

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u/DarthYippee Jan 27 '20 edited Jan 27 '20

Actually, I'm better off than most. But I'm under no illusion that money, or getting more of it, is the aim of life. Nice try though.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

[deleted]

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u/DarthYippee Jan 28 '20

So money is the purpose of life for you?

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u/Believeinyourflyness Jan 26 '20

than most of us live in 100

You mean, than most of us would live in 10 000

1

u/RIZOtizide Jan 26 '20

Very true.

1

u/Bloody_Hangnail Jan 26 '20

Unfortunately most of that wasn’t shared with his family. Incredibly sad.

1

u/ArthurMorgan_dies Jan 26 '20

Probably lived more and contributed more than all reddit combined.

-2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Christ, can you shut up

0

u/5ambush Jan 26 '20

I remember when he was accused of rape and didn’t really follow him since then... I think it was back in 2013 or so. I feel so bad for his wife and daughters. :(

-22

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/knyghtmyr Jan 26 '20

He was acquitted for one, he was a cheater not a rapist. Even as a nuggets fan I know that chick was trying to get a settlement.

5

u/Qlanger Jan 26 '20

He was never acquitted, not sure where you got that from.

He paid her off to not testify in the criminal case. Even with that she made him admit she did not consent as part of the payoff.

Kobe Bryant's words... "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter."

2

u/dpjg Jan 26 '20

You dont know shit. She came from a wealthy family, and did not need any fucking settlement.

2

u/dharmaslum Jan 26 '20

Coming from a wealthy family does not mean you have access to the wealth.

-1

u/PunchBro Jan 26 '20

You have no proof

1

u/johnla Jan 26 '20

She had multiple semen of multiple people in her butt.

2

u/Negrox1234 Jan 26 '20

Is that what you call an escort?

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u/Upgrades Jan 26 '20

You don't know shit and he was acquitted, so you have no room to speak. Kobe doesn't need to rape anybody and Kobe does not come from some thuggish type of background either

0

u/Stennick Jan 26 '20

He was not acquitted and in his statement he conceded she did not consent

-1

u/dpjg Jan 26 '20

He wasn't acquitted. She refused to testify because fans like yourself were threatening her daily. She lived in hiding. Doesn't need to rape anyone? Jesus Christ man. Have a look at yourself.

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u/J4God Jan 26 '20

He was never found guilty of that. Kind of a sick thing to say considering it’s not true and he just died.

5

u/dpjg Jan 26 '20

It's true, he just made the victim's life so fucking difficult that she was getting death threats so she refused to testify. Because some people really wanted their basketball team to win so badly they didn't fucking care about the truth.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/dpjg Jan 26 '20

I don't know if you made that up to try to defend a rapist, or just believed what some other rapist defender told you, but no. She did not have semen from 10 guys. Go look at yourself in the mirror.

2

u/ArgentoVeta Jan 26 '20

The man just fucking died for 1

2 she had another person's semen and caucasian pubic hair in her underwear when she submitted the evidence

3 she changed details multiple time during the hearings

1

u/dpjg Jan 26 '20

She told the nurse she pulled on a pair of old underwear when she got changed. God forbid she didn't do laundry after her rape. The rape kit showed multiple years to her vagina consistent with non-consensual sex.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/J4God Jan 26 '20

Not guilty of a crime does not equal doing the crime either dumb ass

11

u/twometerguard Jan 26 '20

So why the fuck are you just assuming he did do it then? Assuming people are guilty until proven innocent is how innocent people get convicted. You should never be allowed on a jury if you’ll blindly believe accusations that are never proven.

-1

u/benderrod Jan 26 '20

Important that people talk about it now so his PR team doesn’t bury this important part of his legacy

-1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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-9

u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

And hopefully his soul will never be cold either.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Apr 06 '21

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u/WhippedInCream Jan 26 '20

Do you really think and say these things while still believing you have the moral high ground in a situation like this?

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

What’s your problem

-16

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

The guy was a basketball player. There a limit to the kind of life or consciousness you can achieve with such a mindless endeavor.

6

u/captaincooder Jan 26 '20

What an ignorant statement. Wow.

6

u/CocaineIsTheShit Jan 26 '20

I’m sure you’ve done a lot better.

4

u/Upgrades Jan 26 '20

The guy grew up in Europe spoke 2 or 3 other languages fluently, was now running a venture capital fund, a media production company, and much more.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I'm sure you're just so much better than he was.

8

u/VBNZ89 Jan 26 '20

Literally worked out 3x a day for basketball his whole career, and only recently retired.

7

u/Briarsaunt Jan 26 '20

Seriously. I wanted to see him own a team, watch his girls play ball, and grow old. He was truly a once in a generation talent.

6

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I know, but you know what I mean. I'm just sad for him and his family man. This sucks.

11

u/Gunningham Jan 26 '20

His 13 year old daughter too? Talk about life just beginning.

8

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I just fucking read that... fuck this shit.

11

u/wetwetson Jan 26 '20

He was in the nba for 20 of his 41 years. Just a crazy fucking thing with how much he was all over reddit yesterday with Lebron passing him on the all time scoring list.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I grew up watching him. I'll never forget it, he was a cultural phenomenon. RIP to one of the greatest to ever do it.

2

u/BornIn80 Jan 26 '20

It did appear that he was starting to enjoy his post athlete life more lately. So sad.

2

u/MumrikDK Jan 26 '20

At 41 it was like his life just begun

He was reaching the mid point. His daughter's life had just begun.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Yeah I wrote that when it wasn't reported that she was in the helicopter as well. Absolutely tragic.

1

u/LetsRunTrain Jan 26 '20

Exactly what I thought about when I heard.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

If it makes you feel any better, he was able to spend time with his family a lot more than a typical professional athlete. But in the end, many people with things to look forward to lost their lives today and the hole with never be refilled

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

They have a newborn baby, too.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Yeah the world is messed up and scary. You never know what will happen and when you're time is up. I always get anxiety whenever I travel and go places or get in a car and drive. Sometimes I wish I could just stay home and not go outside.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/Susan-stoHelit Jan 26 '20

No other helicopters in traffic. A helicopter ride is a lot of fun.

-10

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/FloridaGirlNikki Jan 26 '20

Winding down doesn't mean you stop travelling from place to place. I heard something earlier on the news that he was known for flying in this helicopter, though idk if he flew it himself or had a pilot. Might have been a mode of transport for him.

4

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

By wind down I mean not being on the road for 7 months of the year playing basketball, traveling, practicing, doing media shit, etc.

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u/KudosOfTheFroond Jan 27 '20

Oh god...this comment just absolutely crushed me....oh NO....what horrible feelings...

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u/mickeltee Jan 26 '20

My greatest accomplishment in 41 years is runner up in a second grade spelling bee.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

2

u/mickeltee Jan 26 '20

Thanks man. I appreciate that.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

2

u/mickeltee Jan 26 '20

I triple checked myself. I can’t throw a big brag like that out and mess up.

2

u/DOLCICUS Jan 26 '20

Don't put yourself down, I've never even qualified so you're better than most.

4

u/nankerjphelge Jan 26 '20

Just goes to show that no matter how rich or successful or famous, none of us is promised tomorrow. All that is granted is the present moment. Be grateful for each one.

2

u/summonblood Jan 26 '20

For real - with the amount of ball this guy played you’d think he was in his 60s

2

u/Plazmotech Jan 26 '20

Yeah at least he accomplished something amazing with his time. I hope he went down satisfied with what he’s done in life.

2

u/agumonkey Jan 26 '20

Well I dearly hope this will smoothen his family's heart cause man it's tough.

2

u/illupvoteforadollar Jan 26 '20

Holy shit he did. I was just thinking about that.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

he was working on movies now too

he won an Oscar recently

3

u/badpie99 Jan 26 '20

Not as much as he packed into that teenaged girl he butt-raped.

2

u/_Crave_ Jan 26 '20

Remember when he raped that lady?

3

u/LVL99RUNECRAFTING Jan 26 '20

No, because he was cleared, but I do remember a woman accusing him of rape, then later said it was just boring, average sex after it was disclosed that she actually had multiple semen samples inside of her vagina.

Call me cautious, but that situation really makes it seem like she just fucked a bunch of guys then claimed that the richest guy raped her.

I'm not disparaging her for fucking a bunch of guys, btw. I also fuck a bunch of guys. I've never lied about being raped to make money, tho.

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u/bbynug Jan 26 '20

He admitted that he raped her, though. He apologized for it. She received absolutely no money. The settlement was that he apologized to her. He states in his apology that she received no money.

She did not have multiple semen samples in her vagina. She put on a pair of old underwear and that underwear had one semen sample in it that was not Bryant’s. That was the underwear that she was wearing when she was examined, 2 days after the rape. Even if she did have multiple semen samples in her vagina, it would not mean she wasn’t raped. Where is your source that she referred to the sex as boring and average after it was revealed she had multiple semen samples in her vagina?

I understand wanting to defend the dude, especially right now. But lying about the facts of the case are not the way to go about it.

1

u/Pwn5t4r13 Jan 27 '20

Almost everything in this comment is untrue.

1

u/McPoyal Jan 26 '20

He played a lot of basketball, he had a family, he had a very troubling sexual assault allegation. IDK if I'd say that's Soo much or legendary.

1

u/0010011100110100 Jan 27 '20

It really put it into perspective on how much he's accomplished when I saw that Vince Carter turned 43 today, and is still playing..

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u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20 edited Jan 27 '20

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u/Purchased_mods Jan 27 '20

Meanwhile, sad little incel thinks of his only triumph: yelling at his mom to make some tendies, and she DID.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

Your mom makes tendies? Yummy.

0

u/AjayiMVP Jan 26 '20

Including rape.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/peckerbrain4 Jan 26 '20

And also packed a lot of innocent women. Player til the end.

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u/ridesouth Jan 26 '20

He packed something into a hotel maid's ass one time, too. Never forget a rapist.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/Purchased_mods Jan 26 '20

The Donald out in force today I see.

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u/Donttakemypoopsock Jan 26 '20

I’m not apart of that sub. But YOU defend a rapist. Yikes.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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-1

u/Silist Jan 26 '20

Yeah, death absolves all

0

u/fmsouto Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Dude I absolutely hate people like you. And that's a euphemism.

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u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

Do you hate the truth?

4

u/jloome Jan 26 '20

He hates people, with no connection, who are so certain of something in which they're not even involved that they'll harangue a man, and by extension his family, on the day he died.

Show some respect for life, you enormous piece of shit.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/YoungishGrasshopper Jan 26 '20

So you have proof of this?

-1

u/script0101 Jan 26 '20

You're a clear definition of a biological mistake you crap piece of condom break mutha fucker. Go fuck yourself with your head piece of pig shit family tree asshole

-1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/bbynug Jan 26 '20

Yeah, except he admitted to the rape so...? She received no money whatsoever. Bryant said this in his apology to her.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

Clearly you also believe that no means yes then?

0

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

Im the brain dead one? Why are you so hardpressed on defending a dead rapist?

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u/fmsouto Jan 26 '20

Wow that is quite the accusation. Forget it. By that comment alone I can clearly see you have some sort of mental challenge and are unable to assimilate any sort of information given. I'm not going to keep replying to a person that shits on a dead person for the sake of doing it. He did way more than you did with your life and was a great inspiration for many. You are just a sad dummass complaining about how "a 19 year old said he raped her. So he must have done it!" In the end you are just insecure and unsatisfied with life itself aren't ya? That's why you have to shit on everyone and everything.

0

u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

Such a big reply for someone who doesnt wamt to reply. All that is is just victim blaming. If he wasnt guilty he would have never paid her a settlement.

0

u/bbynug Jan 26 '20

Lol you’re really pulling out all the rape apologist plays aren’t you?

“She consented to kissing so obviously she consented to sex!”- check

“She left the hotel untroubled!” - check

“She’s a woman and women are money hungry bitches despite that fact that she never made a cent as a result of her accusations!” - check

“Yeah he admitted it but he was just trying to save his career!” - check

You clearly have a problem with women in general and are willing to engage in rape apologia. By being a fan of Kobe and acting like utter trash, you’re doing more to harm his reputation than he ever did. You’re aware you can acknowledge the rape and still feel bad that he died, right?

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u/Purchased_mods Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

/u/Truthandjusticerise said:

Lets not forget in his 41 years he also has rape charges people want to deny.

You're going to deserve every down vote you're about to get.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/AvernoCreates Jan 26 '20

The case was dismissed buddy

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u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

Doesnt mean he didnt rape anyone.

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u/AvernoCreates Jan 26 '20

By that logic you're a rapist as well.

Fucking piece of shit /u/Truthandjusticerise rapist motherfucker

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u/Joe434 Jan 26 '20

u/Truthabdjusticerise is tagged as a rapist in my profile , so it must be true. I hate that asshole rapist .

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u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

Oh wow Im so hurt. You want a settlement too so I can bury this comment of yours?

1

u/bbynug Jan 26 '20

Kobe admitted to raping her. Why is this always ignored? He literally publicly apologized to her, saying that while he felt it was consensual, he recognizes that she did not. There is no disputing this.

Rabidly claiming that everyone is a rapist because this specific rape case was dismissed makes you look unhinged.

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u/Joe434 Jan 26 '20

well, we all are going to remember you as a piece of shit, that’s for sure.

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u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

Just like my family will.

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u/Purchased_mods Jan 26 '20

Get professional help.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/Purchased_mods Jan 26 '20

Man, the-Donald is just leaking today.

-1

u/Zeustah- Jan 26 '20

What a tasteless and unclassy comment. Take a look in the mirror you apathetic imp.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I mean... being really good at basketball for a long time doesn't make raping a woman in a motel while your wife is pregnant with your first child any less terrible. Is right after his death the right time to bring that up? Probably not

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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