Vanessa Bryant has reached a settlement in the case regarding her late husband Kobe Bryant’s crash photos.
Bryant reached a $28.85 million settlement with Los Angeles County over the graphic photos taken of the scene of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed her husband Kobe, daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others.
In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Vanessa’s attorney Luis Li said that Tuesday marked “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,” Li continued. “We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice.”
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View GalleryMira Hashmall, who served as lead trial counsel for Los Angeles County in the case, called the settlement “fair and reasonable” and said it had been approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Hashmall noted that the $28.85 million includes the damages that had previously been awarded to Vanessa by a federal jury back in August.
She also specified that the settlement resolves “all outstanding issues related to pending legal claims in state court, future claims by the Bryant children, and other costs.”
“We hope Ms. Bryant and her children continue to heal from their loss,” Hashmall said in part in her statement.
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View GalleryThe settlement brings Vanessa’s legal battle against Los Angeles County to a close.
The widow of basketball icon Kobe Bryant sued the county in 2020, seeking damages for emotional distress. Her lawsuit argued that her privacy was invaded when Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies and fire department personnel allegedly shared photos of the crash site with others.
When her suit went to trial in federal court year, a jury awarded $16 million to Vanessa and $15 million to her co-plaintiff Chris Chester, whose wife Sarah and 13-year-old daughter Payton also died in the crash.
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Following the August 2022 verdict, Vanessa shared a picture of her smiling with Kobe and Gigi on Instagram and wrote, “All of you! I love you! JUSTICE for Kobe and Gigi! #BetOnYourself #MambaDay.”
At the time, Hashmall said in a statement, “We are grateful for the jury’s hard work in this case. While we disagree with the jury’s findings as to the County’s liability, we believe the monetary award shows that jurors didn’t believe the evidence supported the Plaintiffs’ request of $75 million for emotional distress. We will be discussing next steps with our client. Meanwhile, we hope the Bryant and Chester families continue to heal from their tragic loss.”
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