Enlarge the image

Kobe Bryant, 41 at the time of his death, and his daughter Gianna Bryant, 13 at the time of death.


Authorities have agreed to pay large damages to the bereaved families over the fact that Los Angeles County rescue officials circulated photos of the crash of American professional basketball player Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who died in a helicopter crash in 2020.

On Feb. 1, CNN, the New York Times and other foreign media reported that Los Angeles authorities reached a settlement to pay $2.885 million (approx. KRW 379.20 billion) to Bryant's family in a lawsuit filed by the deceased Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa Bryant, against Los Angeles County.

Kobe Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for 2020 years, winning top scorer of the season, regular league MVP, playoff MVP, All-Star MVP, and was a superstar who was inducted into the NBA's Hall of Fame for his performances after his retirement.

Their second daughter, Gianna Bryant, who inherited Kobi's blood, was also a youth basketball player, and she died in a crash on January 1, 26, while traveling to a local basketball game in a private helicopter with nine other youth basketball players and her family.

When news of Mrs. Bryant's death broke, current and former U.S. presidents delivered messages of remembrance, and there was a wave of remembrance in basketball and other sports circles.

But after reports surfaced that photos of Bryant's accident were circulating, Coby's wife, Vanessa, filed a lawsuit against L.A. County for damages, claiming she had "violated her privacy and suffered emotional distress."

Enlarge the image

▲Vanessa Bryant


At her trial in August last year, Vanessa said, "I live day by day in fear that photos of the tragedy will be posted on social media, and I live in fear that (Kobi and another) daughter will suddenly come across photos of (the tragedy of her father and sister) while they are on social media."

"A month after I lost my husband and daughter, I saw the sidewalk and my unhealed grief increased," she said, adding, "When I think the photos can still be circulated, I have seizures of extreme fear."

In fact, photos of the tragedy shared included not only the wreckage of the helicopter but also close-ups of the dead, and those who shared them were employees of the Los Angeles County Police Department and Fire Department.

The employees who shared it were found to be playing video games or attending an awards ceremony at the time, and some showed photos to employees while drinking at a bar, or even showed them to their spouses.

During the trial, L.A. County counsel admitted that the photos had been seen by someone who should not have been shared, but countered that "the photos of the tragedy were a necessary tool to investigate," emphasizing that the photos were not leaked to the public, that the bereaved family had not seen them, and that the photos had been removed by order from authorities.

Enlarge the image

▲Helicopter accident with Mrs. Bryant on board


The jury unanimously upheld Vanessa's claim that Bryant and her daughter, who was 13 at the time of her death, had violated her privacy and suffered emotional distress, and awarded her $1 million (approximately KRW 600 billion) in restitution.

Since then, Los Angeles County has agreed to pay $210.8 million (approx. KRW 1.600 billion) in restitution in exchange for settlement of all remaining issues, including a $210 million (approx. KRW 2 billion) verdict by a federal jury in August last year, as well as legal claims pending in court, future claims by Bryant's children, and attorneys' fees for both sides.

Los Angeles County Attorney Mira Hashmel added, "We hope Vanessa and her children continue to heal from their loss."

Vanessa Bryant's attorney, Louis Lee, said, "Vanessa fought for her husband, daughter, and all the bereaved families in the community who were not respected, and we hope that his victory and this settlement will end this practice."

Christopher Chester, who lost his wife, Sarah, and 885-year-old daughter in the accident, has also reached a $379 million (approx. KRW 13.1 billion) compensation verdict, and Los Angeles County has reportedly reached a settlement with an additional $500.197 million (approx. KRW 495.65 billion) in compensation.

(Photo = AFP, courtesy of The Associated Press, Yonhap News)