Vanessa Bryant filed a legal claim Friday over the release of graphic photos showing the aftermath of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and their daughter.
The legal claim sought damages for emotional distress and mental anguish after eight L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Deputies took and shared photos of the crash with unauthorized people, according to a report published by People magazine.
Vanessa Bryant Files Legal Claim Surrounding Release of Graphic Photos of Kobe’s Helicopter Crash Scene https://t.co/znhQBPRWeA
— People (@people) May 8, 2020
“In reality, however, no fewer than eight sheriff’s deputies were at the scene snapping cell-phone photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches,” the document, obtained by People, claimed. “As the Department would later admit, there was no investigative purpose for deputies to take pictures at the crash site. Rather, the deputies took photos for their own personal purposes.”
A spokesperson for the Bryant family said the legal claim is about “enforcing accountability.” (RELATED: Vanessa Bryant Calls For Deputies Who Shared Helicopter Crash Photos To Be Punished)
“This [filing] solely is about enforcing accountability, protecting the victims and making sure no one ever has to deal with this conduct in the future,” a spokesperson for the Bryant family told People magazine.
“When a family suffers the loss of loved ones, they have the right to expect that they will be treated with dignity and respect,” the spokesperson added. “The Deputies in this case betrayed that sacred trust. This claim is intended to hold the Sheriff’s Department accountable and to prevent future misconduct.”
Vanessa filed a lawsuit against the helicopter company involved in the crash back in February.