AgenciesA federal jury in Los Angeles has awarded $16 million to Venessa Bryant, widow of deceased basketball legend Kobe Bryant. As per media reports, the compensation was awarded for the mental distress Venessa Bryant suffered due to the pictures of the NBA star and his daughter's bodies that emergency service workers clicked and shared.
On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were travelling to watch a youth basketball game when their helicopter crashed near Los Angeles.
Kobe, his daughter and seven other passengers were killed in the crash, sending shock waves across the globe.
The emergency service workers, who arrived on the accident scene, clicked a few pictures of Kobe's and his daughter's bodies, which went viral on the internet.
Venessa Bryant stated that the viral photos caused her grave mental distress. She feared that her surviving daughters, Natalia, Bianka and Capri, would see the pictures of their dead father and sister and get traumatized.
The nine-member jury deliberated the issue for more than four hours before passing the verdict that the photos invaded Venessa Bryant's privacy and caused her emotional distress.
The verdict was passed on Kobe Bryant Day, celebrated in Los Angeles on August 24. The day marks the two jersey numbers of Kobe - 8 and 24 - and comes a day after the legendary athlete's birthday. According to media reports, Venessa Bryant silently cried while the verdict was being announced.
After the verdict, she posted a picture of Kobe, Gianna and herself on Instagram, stating that justice has been done to her husband and daughter.
The controversial pictures in the trial were mostly shared by officials of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's office and fire department. The trial went on for 11 days.
Venessa Bryant testified that seeing the pictures a month after the tragic accident compounded her grief, and she continues to have panic attacks seeing the visuals from the accident site.
On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were travelling to watch a youth basketball game when their helicopter crashed near Los Angeles.
Kobe, his daughter and seven other passengers were killed in the crash, sending shock waves across the globe.
The emergency service workers, who arrived on the accident scene, clicked a few pictures of Kobe's and his daughter's bodies, which went viral on the internet.
Venessa Bryant stated that the viral photos caused her grave mental distress. She feared that her surviving daughters, Natalia, Bianka and Capri, would see the pictures of their dead father and sister and get traumatized.
The nine-member jury deliberated the issue for more than four hours before passing the verdict that the photos invaded Venessa Bryant's privacy and caused her emotional distress.
The verdict was passed on Kobe Bryant Day, celebrated in Los Angeles on August 24. The day marks the two jersey numbers of Kobe - 8 and 24 - and comes a day after the legendary athlete's birthday. According to media reports, Venessa Bryant silently cried while the verdict was being announced.
After the verdict, she posted a picture of Kobe, Gianna and herself on Instagram, stating that justice has been done to her husband and daughter.
The controversial pictures in the trial were mostly shared by officials of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's office and fire department. The trial went on for 11 days.
Venessa Bryant testified that seeing the pictures a month after the tragic accident compounded her grief, and she continues to have panic attacks seeing the visuals from the accident site.
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