In July 2003, Bryant was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old employee of the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Edwards, Colo. He admitted that he didn’t explicitly ask for consent and initially denied even having sex with the woman. He left a bruise on her neck and drew blood from her skin. After Bryant’s defense team badly intimidated the victim and smeared her reputation, she refused to testify. After the criminal case was dismissed, Bryant issued an apology that said, in part, “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.” He later settled for an undisclosed sum in a civil suit.
Sounds pretty rapey to me. Just because someone dies tragically doesn’t mean we get to hand wave away all the bad shit they did. Like if Kobe worked at a gas station his whole life would we be okay claiming he wasn't a rapist just because he died in a tragic way?
Lets pick an example that actually fits the bill.