LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County firefighters and deputies took photos of Kobe Bryant, the victim of the 2020 helicopter accident that claimed his life. Lakers star, Bryant’s 13-year old daughter and seven others were among the witnesses, according to Bryant’s widow lawyer.
Luis Li, Vanessa Bryant’s lawyer, told jurors that in her invasion-of privacy trial against the county, the cell phone photos taken at the crash site by a deputy as well as a fire captain were “visual chatter” and were viewed “for a joke,” and not for any official purpose.
Li claimed that “they were shared with deputies who were playing video games.” “They were shared with people who had no need to receive them.”
The county attorney defended the use of photos to aid first responders in sharing information. He believed they could still save lives at the dangerous, chaotic and difficult-to-reach crash scene in Calabasas hills west Los Angeles.
J. Mira Hashmall, a county lawyer, stated that “site photography is essential.”
Vanessa Bryant was emotional throughout her lawyer’s presentation. Minutes later, she was still shedding tears during a break.
Jurors were told by Li that she was still suffering from her raw pain after learning about the photos’ circulation a month later, not from the county, but the Los Angeles Times.
“January 26, 2020, was Vanessa Bryant’s worst day.” Li stated that the county made things worse. “They put salt on an open wound and rubbed the salt in.”
Li played jurors’ security video of an off duty sheriff’s deputy, drinking at a pub. He showed the photos to the bartender. He shakes his head in disgust. The lawyer showed the jurors a picture of the men laughing later. Li told the jury that firefighters looked at their phone photos two weeks later, at an awards banquet. He also showed the jury an animated chart showing how they spread to almost 30 people.
Li claimed that the county did not conduct an adequate investigation to ensure every copy of the photograph was traced. Because of this fear, Vanessa Bryant will be “haunted by what they did forever”
In his opening statement to the defense, Hashmall stated that the fact that no pictures had appeared for more than two years shows that leaders from the sheriff’s office and fire department did their job.
They are not online. They are not on the media. Hashmall explained that the plaintiffs have never seen them. She stated, “That is no accident.” This is due to how diligent they were.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva, along with department officials, immediately summoned all the involved parties and ordered them delete the photos. She said that this was in preference to a lengthy official investigation that could further harm the families.
Hashmall stated that Hashmall chose what he considered the best option, namely decisive action. “He felt that every second counted.”
Hashmall explained to the jury that Li had the video of Li the bartender to show because they had received a complaint about it from another patron who saw the photo sharing.
She claimed that the deputy was suffering from emotional distress due to the crash scene. He also said that he had a long-standing friend who he confided in.
She stated, “He pulled his phone out of his pocket and that should never have happened.” “In a lapse of weakness, he showed those photographs, and he regrets it every day of the rest of his life.”
The defense attorney encouraged jurors not to dwell on the pain of the plaintiffs and instead focus on the facts.
She said, “There is no doubt that these families have suffered,” “It’s unspeakable. However, this case isn’t about the loss caused by the crash. It’s all about the photos.”
Chris Chester, the husband of Sara Chester and Payton Chester who were both killed in the accident, is also a plaintiff. He seeks unspecified amounts in the lawsuit.
Already, the county has agreed to pay $2.5million to settle a similar case brought to it by two families whose relatives were killed in the Jan. 26, 2020 crash. Chester and Bryant declined to settle.
Kobe Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna and other players were flying to a girls tournament of basketball when their chartered helicopter crashed through the fog. Pilot error was the cause of the crash, according to federal safety officials.