Los Angeles County have been ordered to pay Vanessa Bryant $16million, over Kobe Bryant’s crash photos taken by officials at the scene of the fatal helicopter crash that killed the basketball great, a jury has ruled.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend, Gianna Bryant and the other seven victims died in the crash on 26 January 2020 when the helicopter came down as they flew from Orange County to a basketball tournament.
The jury awarded Vanessa $16 million for the Kobe Bryant’s crash photos. Chris Chester who lost his daughter and wife in the helicopter crash was awarded $15 million.
Chester’s attorney, Jerry Jackson speaking on the outcomes, said “Grateful to a jury and judge that gave us a fair trial,” TMZ reports.
According to TMZ, Vanessa broke down sobbing when the verdict was read. The jury was polled and Vanessa looked at them one by one in approval.
The verdicts were against both the L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. and the L.A. County Fire Dept.
The deputies not only took the Kobe Bryant’s crash photos but shared them with friends, family and even strangers at a bar. The photos were even shared at a party with fire officials.
Lawyers for the County had argued the photos have never surfaced and they have been deleted from the cellphones in question so there was no cause for alarm that they might leak.
During closing arguments, the lawyer for Chester asked for up to $32.5 million. Bryant’s attorney did not ask for a specific amount, rather asking the jury to award what’s right.
The trial lasted two weeks and was at times so laden with graphic descriptions, Vanessa cried and periodically left the courtroom.
Kobe and Gigi Bryant, along with Sarah and Payton Chester, were killed along with 5 others in the January 26, 2020 crash.
Wednesday would have been Kobe’s 44th birthday.