Vanessa Bryant, the wife of former Los Angeles Lakers star and basketball legend Kobe Bryant, has settled her outstanding claims with the Los Angeles County police over photos they shared after his unfortunate demise three years ago.
The LA County deputies made the graphic pictures of the fatal helicopter crash available to the public and they have now agreed to pay Kobe’s widow approximately $29 million for their misconduct.
Kobe, a five-time NBA champion, was killed in the helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others on January 26, 2020. All nine people on board were confirmed dead after the crash which Federal safety officials blamed pilot error for.
Following the tragic incident, Vanessa sued the county, saying first responders photographed human remains as tradable “souvenirs”. The settlement includes the $15 million already awarded to her [Vanessa] by a judge subsequent to a trial in federal court in August 2022.
“Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant’s courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct,” Luis Li, Vanessa Bryant’s counsel, said in a statement.
“She fought for her husband, her daughter, and all those in the community whose deceased family were treated with similar disrespect. We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice.”
Mira Hashmall, the lead counsel representing Los Angeles County in the case, referred to the settlement as “fair and reasonable” and explained that it “resolves all outstanding issues related to pending legal claims in state court, future claims by the Bryant children, and other costs, with each party responsible for its respective attorneys’ fees.”
Co-plaintiff Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter were also dead victims in the crash, received a $19,950,000 settlement.
The photos from the crash were mostly shared among employees of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s and fire departments, and by some who were playing video games and attending an awards banquet. They also were seen by some of their spouses and in one case by a bartender at a bar where a deputy was drinking.
In the course of an 11-day trial in August 2022, Vanessa Bryant alleged that news of the photos heightened her grief a month after the crash and that she had panic attacks due to thoughts that the photos had circulated far and wide.
