Vanessa Bryant is urging the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department to reveal the identities of the officers accused of circulating images of the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of her husband, basketball icon Kobe Bryant, and their daughter, Gianna.
Vanessa Bryant is pursuing legal recourse against the department, alleging that “in the face of an unfathomable loss, at least eight sheriff’s deputies at the crash scene took out their phones and captured images of the deceased children, parents, and coaches. The deputies reportedly took these pictures for their own personal satisfaction.”
More than a year has passed since the accident, in which seven others perished along with Kobe Bryant (41) and his 13-year-old daughter. The helicopter crashed just outside Los Angeles in poor visibility due to fog. Bryant, widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players ever, was mourned publicly by former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
The lawsuit brought by Vanessa Bryant against the local law enforcement mirrors the Dale Earnhardt Law, enacted in 2001 following the demise of Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt. This legislation safeguarded details and images from his autopsy reports from the media at the request of Jeb Bush, the then-governor of Florida, to prevent further distress to the grieving family.
Starting in January of this year, the Kobe Bryant Law prohibits emergency responders from taking photographs for any purpose beyond the scope of their duties.
