Vanessa Bryant is officially taking Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and his department to court over their involvement in taking and circulating photos of the helicopter crash site where Kobe and Gianna Bryant were killed along with seven others.
For those who don’t recall, the already tragic tale of the passing of the Los Angeles Lakers all-star was marred by an ugly incident in which graphic images of the victims’ bodies made their way out into the public.
As we reported back in March, an internal investigation into the matter revealed the photos were shared by a deputy as a way to “impress a girl,” but at least eight officers total were also involved in the tasteless and senseless act. It was unclear at the time if they would actually face legal consequences, but now Vanessa is doing her best to make sure they pay in one way or another.
Related: Fans Outraged After Kobe & More Were Snubbed From Emmys ‘In Memoriam’ Segment
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Vanessa is claiming the photo leak (understandably) caused her severe emotional distress and she’s not just upset with the deputies — she’s also personally blaming Villanueva for his role in trying to cover it up!
The Sheriff initially told the officers involved they would not face penalties if they simply came forward and admitted what they had done. The lawsuit slams him for not informing the grieving families, claiming they only found out about the story when the Los Angeles Times reported it.
The suit also claims that Villanueva never gave straight answers about the incident and its conclusion — and now Vanessa is left living in constant fear the photos will leak onto the internet again someday. Per the legal docs:
“Ms. 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.”
Ugh. That’s an incredibly awful feeling to live with. And to think this could’ve all been avoided had those involved had simply done their jobs with the appropriate amount of professionalism and ethical consideration.
Now, Vanessa has to grapple with this — while also dealing with a nasty family feud with her mom, Sofia Laine, who claims her daughter turned ugly and kicked her out after Kobe died. But that’s a whole other story you can read about HERE.
[Image via WENN/Avalon/KTLA/YouTube.]
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