Right-Wing Website Publishes Op-Ed Responding to 'Bubba' Copeland Criticism
it exposed an Alabama pastor's transgender alter ego.F.L. "Bubba" Copeland, 49, was the mayor of Smiths Station, a city of 5,300 near the Georgia border, and was pastor at First Baptist Church in nearby Phenix City, Alabama.
He died by suicide two days after an expose by Alabama news site 1819, which said Copeland posted online as a transgender woman.Lee County Sheriff's Office has said it does not have evidence that the publication of the article was a factor in Copeland's death.
An investigation remains ongoing. Any quotes contained in this article do not reflect the view of Newsweek and are entirely of the viewpoint of the 1819 author, Jennifer Oliver O'Connell.In its original article, the outlet published images of Copeland wearing women's clothing, and said the pastor was leading a secret life as a transgender woman.
The article added that Copeland used secret social-media accounts identifying as a "Transitioning Transgender Curvy Girl," and shared transgender fiction and erotica that he had written himself online.The outlet spoke with Copeland, saying he confirmed that he was the person in the pictures and the manager of the accounts.
