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Vanessa Bryant has reached a settlement in her lawsuit over the photos taken at the scene of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, their daughter Gianna, and seven others. Photos were taken of the scene in Calabasas, along with close ups of the mangled bodies in the crash.
This week, Vanessa Bryant reached a nearly $29 million settlement with Los Angeles County.
“Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant’s courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct,” Luis Li, an attorney representing Bryant, said in a statement to CNN.com. “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.”
Bryant and her co-plaintiff Christopher Chester — who lost his wife Sarah and 13-year-old daughter Payton in the crash — said that the photos of their deceased loved ones caused emotional distress and violated their privacy. There was fear that the photos may surface and be leaked publicly, but they were assured that the photos were destroyed.
The lead trial cousel for Los Angeles County, Mira Hashmall, called the settlement “fair and reasonable.”
Hashmill said in a statement, “The $28,850,000 settlement includes the verdict awarded by the federal jury in August 2022, and further 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.
“We hope Ms. Bryant and her children continue to heal from their loss.”
Kobe Bryant was killed in the helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, at just 41 years old.
The other victims were Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli and Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester and Payton Chester, and pilot Ara Zobayan.
