Kobe Bryant’s wife was awarded $16 Million in a trial for crash photos

LOS-ANGELES — Wednesday’s federal jury ruled that Los Angeles County has to pay Kobe Bryant’s widow $16 millions for photos taken by county workers of Bryant’s body near the 2020 helicopter accident site where he was killed.

The nine jurors who returned the unanimous verdict agreed with Vanessa Bryant and her attorneys that deputies and firefighters taking and sharing photos of the remains of Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna invaded her privacy and brought her emotional distress.

The jury deliberated for four and a half hours before coming to a decision. As the verdict was read, Vanessa Bryant wept quietly.

A county attorney declined to comment outside of the courtroom on the verdict.

The pictures were mostly shared between firefighters and sheriffs in Los Angeles County, including those who were attending awards banquets or playing video games. Some of the spouses were also present, as was one bartender who saw a deputy drinking.

Vanessa Bryant tearfully testified during the 11-day trial that news of the photos compounded her still-raw grief a month after losing her husband and daughter, and that she still has panic attacks at the thought that they might still be out there.

” I live in fear of my daughters being on social media, and these popping up every day,” she said. I live in fear that my daughters will be on social media .”

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Her coplaintiff Chris Chester (whose wife and child were also killed in the accident) was given $15 one million.

Vanessa Bryant’s lawyers did not offer jurors an amount that they felt their client deserved. However, Chester’s lawyer gave them guidelines which would have resulted in tens to millions of dollars for every plaintiff.

Vanessa Bryant’s lawyer Luis Li stated to jurors the close-up photographs had no legal or investigative purpose and were simply “visual gossip” that was shared from a disgusting curiosity.

County lawyer J. Mira Hashmall argued that photos are a crucial tool in assessing the circumstances.

She acknowledged that the photos should not be shared with anyone who has seen them. She stressed that they had not been made public and were never seen by plaintiffs. That meant Sheriff Alex Villanueva, along with other officials, had taken decisive action and been effective in deleting the photos.

Kobe Bryant was a former Lakers player, five-time NBA Champion and member of The Basketball Hall of Fame. On Jan. 1, the helicopter that he was riding on crashed into Calabasas hills west of Los Angeles. 26, 2020.

Federal safety officials blame pilot error for the accident.

The jury returned their verdict on Kobe Bryant Day. This day is August 24 and it celebrates both his jersey numbers 8 and 24. It is also the day following his birthday. Tuesday would have marked Kobe’s 44th Birthday.

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