Los Angeles County has agreed to pay nearly $29m (£24m) to NBA icon Kobe Bryant’s widow after police shared graphic images of his fatal helicopter crash two years ago.
Bryant and his daughter Gianna perished along with seven others when the aircraft crashed in the LA area.
His wife, Vanessa Bryant, filed a lawsuit alleging that first responders photographed human remains as “souvenirs” for sale.
The settlement was described as “fair and reasonable” by LA County attorneys.
“Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant’s courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct,” attorneys for the plaintiff said in a statement on Tuesday.
“She fought for her husband, daughter, and all community members whose deceased family members were handled with contempt. We trust that her trial victory and this settlement will end this practice.”
Mira Hashmall, Los Angeles County’s main trial attorney, said all accident and county litigation was settled.
She stated that the $28,850,000 settlement included the $16 million awarded to Mrs. Bryant by a federal jury in August 2022 in her invasion of privacy lawsuit against Los Angeles County.
“We pray Ms. Bryant and her children continue to heal from their loss,” Ms. Hashmall said.
Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter also perished in the 26 January 2020 crash, separately settled with the county for nearly $20m, attorneys told US media on Tuesday.
Also Mrs. Bryant shared the names of four sheriff’s deputies in March 2021. Claiming they had disseminated “free photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches”. They were on their way to a basketball game.
She said the images, which included her 13-year-old daughter Gianna, were obtained and shared “for no other reason than morbid gossip.”
Mrs. Bryant read in the media that a Los Angeles County sheriff’s agent showed accident photos at a bar.
“I live in fear of my daughters being on social media and these showing up,” she told the court.
Since then, California has banned first responders from photographing victims of accidents or crimes.
Bryant was slain when his aircraft, a Sikorsky S-76B, crashed into a hillside outside the city of Calabasas.
Conditions were foggy when the flight took off, and local police grounded their helicopters due to the weather.
