Vanessa Bryant's legal battle against Los Angeles County begins Wednesday over gruesome helicopter crash photos allegedly shared by first responders.
Lawmakers circulated graphic photos of the remains of her husband, Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others of his, 40-year-old Bryant claims. January 2020.
The mother also shared her three other daughters with Hoop her star, but Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Joey Cruz said they were "without a legitimate government purpose." It claims to have shared images of Kobe's corpse to ban backers.
Bryant also argues that he has a constitutional right to ing. image.
"Mrs. Bryant feels sick when sheriff's deputies, firefighters, and the public see unjustified images of her late husband and children.
" She lives in fear that the day will come when she or her children will face horrific images of loved ones online."
27}According to the Washington Post, witnesses who may be called to , Bryant, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, and Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, one of Kobe Bryant's closest friends.
Bryant seeks unspecified and unspecified indemnification for negligence, emotional stress and invasion of privacy.
Her father and her daughter were among her nine who died in a crash outside Calabasas, California on January 26, 2020. The basketball legend was 41 years old.
The pilot's "spatial disorientation" was likely the cause of the tragedy, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Judge Walter consolidated Bryant's case with a similar claim brought by Orange County financial adviser Chris Chester. Chester also lost his wife Sarah and her 13-year-old daughter Peyton in an accident.
Gianna Bryant and Payton were teammates on the Mamba Sports Academy basketball team, coached by Kobe Bryant.
Attorneys representing Los Angeles County wrote in their trial brief that there was no evidence that the images were shared publicly. Since it was never posted online, Bryant and Chester argued that they could not sue for "virtual damages" for fear that the photo might reappear in the future.
"There is no evidence that county officials have a 'persistent and pervasive' practice of sharing 'images of death' within LASD or LACFD," the county attorney wrote in an affidavit. increase.
“This is the first time LASD or LACFD have faced an allegation of inappropriate photo sharing and we have taken appropriate action. , was intended to prevent harm."
Attorneys representing Los Angeles County wrote in the trial brief that there was no evidence that the images were shared publicly.
Sheriff Villanueva testified during deposition and "destroyed" the gruesome photo to prevent it from being circulated. I told the person in charge to do so. According to the Los Angeles Daily News,.
``I can tell you this - the problem at hand is that the images will be leaked and harm your family. I did,” Villanueva said.
"I make decisions based on the immediate threat, which is the harm those photos cause to my family. I make decisions based on the possibility of being sued in six months."
Walter Trial Officials said the trial will take about a week, according to the City News Service, which will be split into two phases.
Addresses Bryant's federal allegations that the taking and distribution of photographs violates constitutional rights.The state law allegations are discussed in Phase 2.
