Vanessa Bryant, the widow of the late basketball star, Kobe Bryant has been awarded $16 million by a jury over the sharing of photos of the remains of her husband and daughter at the helicopter crash site.
The Jury awarded the sum on Wednesday following a suit filed by the widow against Los Angeles County. The court also awarded $15 million to Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter also died in the crash bringing the total sum awarded to $31 million.
Recall on January 26, 2020 Mr Kobe, his daughter Gianna and seven others were involved in a plane crash which led to their death.
What you should know
- In the suit filed by Mrs Bryant, she alleged that the Los Angeles county invaded their privacy by sharing gruesome images of the crash.
- She accused members of the County sheriffs and fire departments of sharing gruesome images of the crash in an unofficial setting, including to patrons in a bar.
- She sued for emotional damages over the pictures, which she claimed might one day surface on the internet.
- Mr Chris Chester was joined as a co-plaintiff in the suit filed by Mrs Bryant.
- Their lawyers asked the court to hold the county liable for the constitutional violations of its employees. They argued that the county violated the constitutional rights of Mrs Bryant and Mr Chester.
- Kobe’s widow also sued the helicopter charter company and the deceased pilot’s estate.
Kobe Bryant was a 41-year-old famous American Basketball player. He was an 18-time All-Star who won five NBA championships.
