Vanessa Bryant Awarded $16 Million in Suit Over Photos of Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash

A federal jury has found that the county of Los Angeles must pay Vanessa Bryant, the widow to NBA player and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, a sum of $16 million, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Vanessa Bryant’s case concerned photographs of the remains of Kobe and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, which circulated after the two died in a 2020 helicopter crash.

Following an 11-day trial, the jury’s unanimous decision was announced on Wednesday afternoon, one day after what would’ve been Kobe Bryant’s 44th birthday.

More from Variety

• Vanessa Bryant Accepts Giving Tree Award and Honors Kobe in an Emotional Speech at the Baby2Baby Gala

• Netflix's 'Naomi Osaka' Docuseries Keeps Viewers at a Distance: TV Review

• Matt Mauser, Who Lost Wife in Kobe Bryant Crash, Gives Emotional Performance on 'America's Got Talent'

“All for you! I love you! JUSTICE for Kobe and Gigi!” Vanessa Bryant wrote on Instagram late Wednesday afternoon, sharing a selfie of her with her late husband and daughter.

In addition to Vanessa Bryant’s legal victory, her co-plaintiff, Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter were among the nine people killed in the helicopter crash, was awarded $15 million.

Photographs of Kobe and Gianna Bryant were shared between employees of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s and fire departments, reaching the spouses of some employees and, in one case, a bartender.

Vanessa Bryant testified that news of the photographs exacerbated her sense of grief and distress after the accident. Bryant’s lawyer, Luis Li, argued that the graphic images were “visual gossip” for sheriff’s and fire department employees, with no investigative motivation behind their circulation.

County attorney J. Mira Hashmall argued that the photographs were a necessary instrument for assessing the situation, while conceding that they should not have been shared as widely as they had been.

Best of Variety

• From 'The Sandman' to 'Blonde': Books Made Into Movies and TV Series That You Should Read

• Jennette McCurdy's Provocative Book 'I'm Glad My Mom Died' Is Already a No. 1 Bestseller

• What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2022

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.