Vanessa Bryant could be forced to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to prove she's faced "emotional distress" after the death of her husband Kobe Bryant, and their 13-year-old daughter, Los Angeles County officials said.
The mom-of-four suffered unimaginable heartbreak on January 26, 2020, when her LA Lakers star husband and their daughter Gigi were killed in a helicopter crash.
Since their tragic crash - which killed seven others - Vanessa has launched a legal fight against the city's officials over leaked photos of the horrific accident.
Per CNN, the county argued on Friday, October 15, that Vanessa and other plaintiffs should undergo a psychiatric test to determine whether their emotional distress was caused by the leaked photos or the actual crash itself.
County officials say this should be done before the trial begins in February 2022. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for 5 November.
"Plaintiffs cannot claim that they are suffering from ongoing depression, anxiety, and severe emotional distress and then balk at having to support their claims," the county said in its motion, calling the test "crucial" for the defense.
Kobe's widow had filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County back in September, seeking damages for negligence and invasion of privacy after the county sheriff’s deputies allegedly shared pictures from the crash site where her husband and their daughter died.
All nine people aboard the helicopter died in the crash in California's Calabasas city.
Vanessa's suit alleged that one sheriff snapped about 100 pictures on his phone from the crash site and showed them to a bartender in LA.
Her suit read: "The Sheriff’s and Fire Departments’ outrageous actions have caused Mrs Bryant severe emotional distress and compounded the trauma of losing Kobe and Gianna."
The county, however, argued in its Friday motion that the plaintiffs never saw the photos, which the city officials claimed were never publicly disseminated.
The plaintiffs are seeking "tens of millions of dollars to compensate them for their alleged mental and emotional injuries," the county said, adding that a psychiatric examination will help to know the "existence, extent and cause" of the "alleged harm".
Watch Vanessa pay tribute to her late husband at the Hall of Fame ceremony:
Vanessa's attorneys and other plaintiffs have since slammed the motion, describing it as "bullying" by resorting to "scorched earth discovery tactics".
In June, Vanessa agreed to settle another lawsuit for wrongful death against the pilot and the company that owned the helicopter Bryant was on.
She had alleged her husband was killed "as a direct result of the negligent conduct" of the pilot of the helicopter Ara Zobayan and that the company Island Express Helicopters were "vicariously liable in all respects".
