Vanessa Bryant, wife of the late Kobe Bryant, is suing Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department over graphic cellphone photos that at least eight deputies allegedly shared of both Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
According to reports, these photos featured victims of the helicopter crash that killed the NBA legend and his teenage daughter in January.
The lawsuit alleges that these deputies had taken photos of the victims at the crash site with their own personal cellphones, and showed them to their colleagues and at least one member of the public.
The crash also claimed the lives of Payton and Sarah Chester; Christina Mauser; John, Keri, and Alyssa Altobelli; and the pilot, Ara Zobayan while they were on their way to a basketball game.
"The gratuitous images soon became talked about within the Department, as deputies displayed them to colleagues in settings that had nothing to do with investigating the accident," the lawsuit states.
It has also been alleged that one of the deputies was overheard by a bartender trying to impress a woman by showing her the photos. The bartender later filed a complaint with the sheriff's department.
The suit is seeking damages for "negligence, emotional distress, and invasion of privacy."
A spokesperson for the sheriff's department said that soon after the crash, Sheriff Alex Villanueva sponsored legislation "which now makes it a crime for public safety personnel to take or share non-official pictures of this nature."
"As a result of the swift actions we took under extraordinary circumstances, no pictures made it into the public arena," the spokesperson added. "We continue to offer our heartfelt sympathies for the victims and their families."
Villanueva is also being accused of a "cover-up" for failing to stop the photos from being shared.
Per the Los Angeles Times, Villanueva told the deputies that if they removed the photos from their phones, they would not face any ramifications.
Villanueva admitted in response to the reports, that he told eight deputies to delete the photos and he was "content that those involved did that."
He also said their behavior was "inexcusable" and said the department had begun an investigation following the reports.
Vanessa Bryant's attorney Gary C. Robb had called for the "harshest possible discipline" of the deputies, saying their alleged behavior was "deplorable."
"This is an unspeakable violation of human decency, respect, and of the privacy rights of the victims and their families,” he said.
The lawsuit states that the sheriff department's actions caused Vanessa Bryant "severe emotional distress and compounded the trauma of losing Kobe and Gianna."
"Mrs. Bryant feels ill at the thought of strangers gawking at images of her deceased husband and child, and she lives in fear that she or her children will one day confront horrific images of their loved ones online," the lawsuit adds.
Vanessa Bryant is also suing the helicopter company operator and the deceased pilot's estate for wrongful death.
