Justice for Vanessa Bryant: Kobe’s Widow Settles Crash Photos Suit for $28.85 Million

• Vanessa Bryant settled for nearly $29 million over crash photos that deputies from Los Angeles County shared
• The settlement included the $15 million already awarded to Kobe Bryant’s widow by a jury last year
• Kobe was traveling with Gianna and seven others to a youth basketball game when their helicopter crashed on the 26th of January 2020

Los Angeles County has agreed to pay $28.85 million to Vanessa Bryant after police shared graphic photos of her husband, Kobe Bryant’s fatal helicopter crash two years ago.

The 2020 crash also killed Vanessa’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others.

The late NBA star’s widow sued the county, saying that first the responders photographed human remains as if they were tradable "souvenirs.”

Lawyers for the plaintiff issued a statement, saying:

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"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."

Breakdown of settlement

Mira Hashmall, the lead trial counsel for Los Angeles County in the case, also released a statement, saying that all county-related litigation from the crash had finally been resolved.

Hashmall added that the $28,850,000 settlement included the $15 million awarded to Mrs. Bryant by a federal jury in her invasion of privacy lawsuit against Los Angeles County in August 2022, per BBC News.

Hashmall said they hope “Ms. Bryant and her children continue to heal from their loss.”

Deputies shared crash photos

Vanessa shared the names in March 2021 of four sheriff's deputies she claimed had distributed "gratuitous photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches" who were traveling to a basketball game.

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She said the photos, including those of her 13-year-old child Gianna, were taken and shared by the deputies "for no reason other than morbid gossip.”

Vanessa testified at the trial that she had read in media reports how pictures of the helicopter crash were shown at a pub by a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, per ESPN.

Mrs. Bryant told the court that she lives in fear of her daughters being on social media and these popping up.

Jordan pays tribute to Kobe

Sports Brief previously reported on Kobe Bryant being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Michael Jordan was chosen as the presenter for Bryant's induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Jordan paid an emotional tribute to the late great when a memorial service was held shortly after his death.