Los Angeles County wants a judge to force Vanessa bryant, widow of Kobe bryant, to undergo a psychological test as part of the judicial process for the photos that some officials allegedly took of the accident that ended the lives of her husband and daughter.
According to local media reported this Monday, the Los Angeles authorities believe that the test is necessary to determine exactly what psychological damage Vanessa Bryant suffered, who along with the relatives of the other victims of the accident filed a complaint in 2020 against Los Angeles County.
Specifically, in a motion filed Friday in federal court, Los Angeles County attorneys questioned whether Bryant’s psychological damage was the result of the leaked photos or the helicopter crash itself.
According to these lawyers, the “serious emotional and mental injuries were not caused” by the photographs taken of the accident, but by the event and the resulting deaths.
In his 2020 civil suit against Los Angeles County, Bryant claimed photos of the helicopter crash were taken and shared by local fire and sheriff department employees for non-professional purposes.
In fact, the widow of the Los Angeles Lakers legend went further and alleged that those actions violated the privacy and civil rights of the family of the deceased, were negligent and caused emotional distress.
Specifically, in their complaint, Bryant’s family claimed that at least eight officers present at the scene of the accident “took out their personal devices and took photos of the dead children, parents and coaches.”
In addition to Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant, seven other people died on January 26, 2020 when they were traveling in a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter that crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, outside the city of Los Angels
“The officers took these photos for their own personal gratification,” the documents said.
Likewise, it was criticized that the images were shared outside the circle of the investigation, even in a local bar, something that is considered a crime and is strictly prohibited in the regulations of the police force.
A judge is scheduled to evaluate the Los Angeles County petition at a Nov. 5 hearing, while the trial on the controversial photos is expected to begin in February.
Vanessa Bryant also sued a helicopter company for alleged negligence in her husband’s accident and, in June, both parties reached an agreement to close the case.
Kobe Bryant is the NBA’s fourth all-time leading scorer (33,643 points) and an eternal myth for the Los Angeles franchise, with whom he won five rings displaying a fierce and tireless competitive spirit.
Bryant’s death caused a stir in Los Angeles, in the NBA and in the world of sports in general.
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