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F.L. “Bubba” Copeland, who was the mayor of tiny Smiths Station, with a population of just 6,756, as well as the pastor at First Baptist Church in nearby Phenix City, shot himself around 5 p.m. Friday, in front of sheriffs who were following him.
Alabama mayor and pastor, F. L. “Bubba” Copeland, has taken his own life just days after a staunchly Conservative, Right-wing outlet published private photos of Copeland dressed as a woman.
Late yesterday evening, local police confirmed that Copeland, pastor at First Baptist Church of Phenix City and mayor of Smiths Station, AL, had died by suicide. Law enforcement officials did not publicly release any additional details concerning Copeland’s untimely death.
Copeland’s suicide came just two days after a Right-wing news outlet with strong ties to the likes of Steve Bannon and Breitbart, 1819 News, publicly released private photos of the pastor and mayor wearing women’s clothing, smearing Copeland as an unbiblical man – a move that they knew would effectively ruin his life.
1819 News’ story started off innocently enough, writing of Copeland’s past meeting with Donald Trump to request aid following a flood in his area, but quickly took a sinister turn as the outlet wrote:
“However, during this time, the pastor had a secret life playing out online on social media and Reddit. The mayor operated social media accounts as a transgender woman under the pseudonym Brittini Blaire Summerlin.”
It has been confirmed that 1819 News contacted Copeland regarding the private photos, prompting the pastor to delete the social media accounts and beg the publication for mercy, pleading that they not release the images out of respect for his family and his position as a pastor and a public official in his community.
1819 News ignored Copeland’s pleas and published the private photos anyway.
On Wednesday evening, Copeland addressed the scandal with his church congregation, saying he was the victim of an “internet attack” and explaining, “Yes, I have taken pictures with my wife in the privacy of our home in an attempt of humor because I know I’m not a handsome man nor a beautiful woman either. I apologize for any embarrassment caused by my private, personal life that has come publicly.”
Bigoted, hate-filled faith leaders across Alabama wasted no time in attacking and vilifying Copeland, issuing a damning public statement saying they had “become aware of the alleged unbiblical behavior.”
Bubba Copeland ultimately took his own life yesterday evening.
A close friend of Copeland responded to the devastating news of his death, saying, “I am so angry right now and heartbroken. I witnessed a good man be publicly ridiculed and crucified over the last few days…to the point that he just took his own life today. I knew he was suffering so I reached out to him yesterday and offered him support and encouragement. He was appreciative and acknowledged that he had been going through some ‘dark days’ over the last few days. I just want to ask you people who thought it humorous to publicly ridicule him, ‘Are you happy now?’ What crime did he commit?”
Other friends of Copeland’s have since spoken out, stating that the mayor and pastor did not hold any bigoted or hateful views “toward transgender people or people who enjoy cross-dressing,” so there wasn’t even a purpose to the Conservative publication outing him in such a sinister, hateful way.
May Bubba Copeland rest in peace and serenity as his truest self.
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