Damages were awarded to Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, and co-plaintiff Chris Chester, whose wife Sarah and 13-year-old daughter Peyton also died in the Jan. 26, 2020, crash in Calabasas. Vanessa Bryant was awarded $16 million and Chris Chester $15 million. The jury deliberated for 4 1/2 hours before reaching the verdict. Vanessa Bryant wept quietly as it was read. RELATED: Vanessa Bryant Gives Emotional Testimony in Kobe Crash Photos Trial Chester and Bryant sued the county in federal court for negligence and invasion of privacy over photos of human remains taken at the scene and shared by first responders. Bryant and Chester claimed that they suffered mental anguish at the thought that one day in the future, these photos would appear in public. Bryant’s attorneys did not give jurors a dollar amount they believed their client was worth, but Chester’s attorney gave them suggested instructions that would mean tens of millions for each plaintiff. Kobe Bryant photo trial: OC man who lost wife, daughter in car crash describes day of crash After the verdicts were read, Bryant and Chester embraced in the courtroom. She also hugged her lawyer. Bryant did not speak after leaving court. She later posted a photo of herself, Kobe and Gianna on Instagram with the caption, “All for you! I love you! JUSTICE for Kobe and Gigi! #Betonyourself #MambaDay 8-24-22 #MambaMentality.” Along with Chester and Bryant’s loved ones, the crash killed Alyssa Altobelli, 14. Keri Altobelli, 46; John Altobelli, 56; Christina Mauser, 38; and pilot Ara Zobayan, 50. Two other families separately settled with the county over the photos for $1.25 million each. All the families of the victims have reached a settlement with the helicopter company over the crash, but those terms remain confidential. For 10 days, jurors heard testimony from Los Angeles County firefighters and sheriff’s personnel — some accused of taking the photos, others of receiving them. The county’s lead attorney argued during her brief that the photos have not been seen in public in the 2 1/2 years since the tragedy, proving they have been permanently deleted. Kobe Bryant Photos Trial: Former Los Angeles County Captain Testifies, Walked From Stand 3 Times “This is a photographic case, but there are no photographs,” the lawyer told jurors in Los Angeles federal court. “There is one simple truth that cannot be ignored — there was no public dissemination.” Vanessa Bryant’s lawyer, Louis Lee, told jurors the close-up photos had no official or investigative purpose and were just “visual gossip” shared out of abject curiosity. County Attorney J. Mira Hashmall argued during the trial that the photos were a necessary tool in assessing the situation. He acknowledged that they should not have been shared with everyone who saw them. But he stressed that the photos had never been shown publicly, or even seen by the plaintiffs. He said that meant Sheriff Alex Villanueva and other officials had taken decisive and effective action when they ordered those with the photos to delete them. RELATED: Vanessa Bryant’s Lawyer Says Photos of Kobe Bryant’s Remains Were Shared ‘For Laughs’ Los Angeles County provided the following statement from Hashmall, its lead outside attorney in the case: “We are grateful for the jury’s hard work in this case. While we disagree with the jury’s findings as to the county’s liability, we believe the monetary award demonstrates that the jury did not believe the evidence supported Plaintiffs’ claim for an emotional value of $75 million. We will discuss next steps with our client. In the meantime, we hope the Bryant and Chester families continue to heal from their tragic loss.” The jury returned its verdict on Kobe Bryant Day, which is celebrated on Aug. 24 because it uses both of his jersey numbers — 8 and 24 — and is the day after his birthday. Tuesday would have been Kobe’s 44th birthday. City News Service and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
