Vanessa Bryant is still going after the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, alleging that “close-up photos” of her late husband and daughter were shared to at least 28 police devices.
In court documents filed on Thursday, the widow claims that graphic images of Kobe Bryant and their daughter Gianna Bryant were shared by at least 12 county firefighters who responded to the deadly helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. The new filing also states that the crash photos were shown at bars and even at a gala for the 2020 Golden Mike Awards, an event for broadcast journalists.
Even more disturbing is that L.A. County officials tried to cover up their wrongdoing by destroying evidence of the photos.
L.A. County has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that the crash scene photos were not shared with unauthorized persons. Skip Miller, a legal counsel for the county, says that steps were taken to secure the scene, ensuring paparazzi and the public had no access to the crash site at Mrs. Bryant’s request.
“The County did its job and believes there is no merit to this lawsuit,” Miller said.
Vanessa Bryant is seeking damages for emotional distress.