What is the Vanessa Bryant lawsuit settlement with Los Angeles County? Exploring the $30 million case and its specifics
Vanessa Bryant has settled claims with Los Angeles County for around $30 million. She filed a lawsuit against them after the sheriff's department shared photos of the helicopter crash that killed her husband, NBA and LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, and their daughter Giannia in January 2020.
Vanessa led the battle alongside co-plaintiff Chris Chester, who suffered the loss of his wife and daughter in the crash. Chester received a sum of around $20 million. Here's what their attorney Luis Li said after settling the lawsuit (via ABC):
"Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant's courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct. 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."
Vanessa Bryant filed the lawsuit many months after the crash that killed her husband and daughter while they were on their way to a basketball game at Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, along with seven others associated with the program. The helicopter crashed in Calabasas on January 26th, 2020, killing all nine passengers and the pilot.
Vanessa filed a lawsuit alleging that the individuals who first got to the site took graphic photos of human remains at the scene. She cited emotional distress and sued for negligence and invasion of privacy. A federal jury awarded Bryant $16 million for invasion of privacy during a trial in August 2022. According to the BBC, the amount was included in the final settlement, which was around $30 million.
Vanessa learned about Los Angeles County deputies clicking pictures of human remains at the crash site from a report by the LA Times. LA County maintained its stance during the August 2022 trial, stating that the photos weren't shared publicly.
They also attested an investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau that said all photos were destroyed. The defense stated that the pictures didn't surface online, while deputies testified that they had deleted the photos from their phones. Meanwhile, Vanessa Bryant and Chris Chester's lawsuit argued that the photos were shared.
Click here to read the information cited in this article from ABC's report.
Vanessa Bryant claimed she had "panic attacks" after learning about the photos being clicked
Vanessa Bryant suffered immense emotional distress following her husband Kobe and daughter Giannia Bryant's loss in January 2020. The LA Times report regarding deputies clicking pictures of the victims after the crash only added to her grief.
During a trial in August 2022 related to "Invasion of Privacy," Bryant claimed she had suffered panic attacks due to LA County's actions. She claimed she lived in fear about the photos getting leaked. Here's what she said in court (via BBC):
"I live in fear of my daughters being on social media and these popping up."
Vanessa continues to build on her late husband and daughter's legacies. She spoke on behalf of her husband as he was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. She has also continued towards building Mamba Sports, a non-profit organization founded by Kobe.
Vanessa Bryant renamed it to Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation after the LA Lakers legend and their daughter Giannia's passing in January 2020. Bryant donated $16 million she received from the federal jury in August 2022 to the foundation.
Click here to read the information cited in this article from the BBC's report.