Kobe Bryant widow awarded $16M in trial over crash photos
A federal jury has found that Los Angeles County must pay Kobe Bryantโs widow $16 million for emotional distress caused by deputies and firefighters sharing photos of the bodies of the NBA star and his daughter taken at the site of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed them.
Kobe Bryant's widow says crash photos turned grief to horror
Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa testified she was only beginning to grieve the loss of her husband and their 13-year-old daughter in a helicopter crash when she was faced with the fresh horror of learning that deputies and firefighters had shared photos of their remains.
Lawyer: Photos of Kobe Bryant's remains shared 'for a laugh'
A lawyer for the widow of Kobe Bryant told jurors that a โculture of callousnessโ led Los Angeles County deputies and firefighters to share photos of the remains of Kobe Bryant and other victims of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed the Lakers star, his 13-year-old daughter, and seven others.
Judge: Kobe Bryant's widow must turn over therapy records
A judge has ruled that Kobe Bryantโs widow must turn over her therapy records to Los Angeles County in her lawsuit claiming she suffered emotional distress after first responders shared photos from the site of the helicopter crash that killed the basketball star and his teenage daughter.
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LA County wants Vanessa Bryant to undergo psychiatric exam
Los Angeles County is seeking to compel psychiatric evaluations for Kobe Bryantโs widow and others to determine if they truly suffered emotional distress after first responders took and shared graphic photos from the site of the helicopter crash that killed the basketball star, his teenage daughter and seven others.
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'It's an honor': The Hall of Fame's class of 2020 enshrined
Kobe Bryant is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame now, along with contemporaries Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, headliners of a group of nine who got their delayed and long-awaited enshrinement on Saturday night, more than a year after being announced as the Hallโs Class of 2020.
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It's time: Duncan, Bryant, Garnett to enter Hall of Fame
Vanessa Bryant got a private tour to see some of the newly remodeled Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, viewing the exhibit that will honor the life and legacy of her late husband before the rest of the world gets their first look.
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Documents: Firefighters could be fired for Bryant photos
Court documents say two Los Angeles County firefighters could be fired and a third suspended after some first responders took and shared graphic photos from the site of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter and seven others.
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Vanessa Bryant still perseveres after Kobe, Gigi's death
FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2017, file photo, from left, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, wife Vanessa and daughter Natalia Diamante Bryant are seen before an NCAA college women's basketball game between Connecticut and UCLA, in Los Angeles. Vanessa Bryant says she is focused on finding the light in darkness in an emotional story in People magazine. She details how she attempts to push forward after her husband, Kobe Bryant, and daughter Gigi died in a helicopter crash in early 2020. Vanessa Bryant said her devotion to her daughters Natalia, Bianka and Capri have been a saving grace. Vanessa Bryant said she wants to honor her husband and daughterโs legacy by creating opportunities for young female athletes.
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NTSB report: Pilot felt pressure to fly Kobe Bryant to game
โHere is a case where a pilot who is well regarded apparently got into a very bad situation,โ Sumwalt said. AdThere were 184 aircraft crashes between 2010-2019 involving spatial disorientation, including 20 fatal helicopter crashes, the NTSB said. Vanessa Bryant has sued Island Express Helicopters Inc., which operated the aircraft, and its owner, Island Express Holding Corp. She said Zobayan was not properly trained or supervised and should have aborted the flight. Island Express Helicopters Inc. denied responsibility and said the crash was โan act of Godโ that it could not control. Lawyers for Berge Zobayan and Island Express declined to comment on the NTSB findings.
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US officials: Pilot error caused Kobe Bryant chopper crash
Officials believe Zobayan may have also felt โcontinuation bias,โ an unconscious tendency among pilots to stick with the original plan despite changing conditions. The crash led to widespread public mourning for the retired basketball star and several lawsuits, and prompted state and federal legislation. But NTSB investigator-in-charge Bill English said the system, which was not on the helicopter, would probably not have prevented the crash. Federal lawmakers have sponsored the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act to mandate the warning systems on all helicopters carrying six or more passengers. Island Express Helicopters Inc. denied responsibility and said the crash was โan act of Godโ that it could not control.
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Feds to name likely cause of Kobe Bryant helicopter crash
Federal safety officials are expected to vote Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, on what likely caused the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others to crash into a Southern California hillside last year, killing all aboard. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)LOS ANGELES โ In the year since the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant crashed into a hillside on a foggy morning, killing all nine aboard, thereโs been plenty of finger-pointing over the cause of the tragedy. AdFederal lawmakers have sponsored the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act to mandate the devices on all helicopters carrying six or more passengers. Zobayanโs brother said Kobe Bryant knew the risks of flying in a helicopter and his survivors arenโt entitled to damages from the pilotโs estate. Vanessa Bryant also sued the Los Angeles County Sheriffโs Department, accusing deputies of sharing unauthorized photos of the crash site.
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Kobe Bryant's widow slams lawsuit from mom seeking support
Vanessa Bryant issued a statement Thursday saying her mother was trying to โextort a financial windfall,โ the Los Angeles Times reported. The 48-page lawsuit filed by Sofia Urbieta Laine, 68, claims Kobe Bryant โpromised to take careโ of her for life. Kobe Bryant, 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died Jan. 26 when their helicopter crashed in the hills of Calabasas. Financial experts estimate Vanessa Bryant inherited control of an estate worth up to $600 million, the Times said. โShe was a grandmother who was supported by me and her son-in-law at my request,โ Vanessa Bryant said.
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Vanessa Bryant sues LA sheriff over helicopter crash photos
FILE - A body is covered, left, while another is seen at right at the scene of a helicopter crash that killed former NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant and eight others in Calabasas, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. Bryant's widow Vanessa Bryant on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County sheriff alleging negligence, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress after deputies allegedly shared unauthorized photos of the crash that killed her husband, their 13-year-old daughter and seven others. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
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Vanessa Bryant sues LA sheriff over helicopter crash photos
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)LOS ANGELES โ Vanessa Bryant, the widow of basketball star Kobe Bryant, has filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County sheriff claiming deputies shared unauthorized photos of the crash that killed her husband, their 13-year-old daughter and seven others. Vanessa Bryant was โshocked and devastatedโ by the reports, the lawsuit states. And weโre content that those involved did that.โVanessa Bryant's lawsuit alleges the sheriff's actions constituted a โcover-upโ of the misconduct. The legislation was prompted by the crash photos. โShortly following this tragic crash, Sheriff Villanueva sponsored legislation which now makes it a crime for public safety personnel to take and share non-official pictures of this nature," the statement said.
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Michael Jordan's poignant Kobe tribute: 'A piece of me died'
Former NBA player Michael Jordan cries while speaking during a celebration of life for Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)LOS ANGELES, Calif. โ Michael Jordan says he didn't see Kobe Bryant as his rival for the mythical honor of being recognized as the best basketball player ever. โHe wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be,โ Jordan said Monday at Bryant's public memorial service at Staples Center. โWhen Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died,โ Jordan said. โThat is what Kobe Bryant does to me.
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Kobe Bryant's widow sues helicopter operator for deaths
LOS ANGELES, Calif. โ Kobe Bryant's widow sued the owner and operator of the helicopter that crashed in fog and killed the former Los Angeles Lakers star and their 13-year-old daughter last month as she publicly mourned their deaths Monday in an emotional public ceremony. The lawsuit names Island Express Helicopters Inc., operator of the service, and Island Express Holding Corp., owner of the craft. Calls to Island Express Inc. seeking comment were not answered, and its voicemail was full. The NTSB hasnโt concluded what caused the crash on the outskirts of Los Angeles County but said there was no sign of mechanical failure. Island Express Inc. issued a statement Jan. 30 on its website saying the shock of the crash had prompted it to suspend service until it was appropriate for staff and customers.
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Public memorial service remembers the private Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles already knew Bryant was much more than a basketball icon. โI couldn't see him as a celebrity, nor just an incredible basketball player,โ Vanessa Bryant said. โGod knew they couldn't be on this Earth without each other,โ said Vanessa Bryant, who had been with Kobe since 1999. Kobe Bryant was a passionate advocate for womenโs basketball, and Gigi Bryant was a promising young player who aspired to play at UConn. Hours before the service, Vanessa Bryant sued the owner of the helicopter that crashed in the fog.
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Kobe Bryant's widow expresses grief, anger in online post
LOS ANGELES, Calif. โ Vanessa Bryant expressed grief and anger in an Instagram post Monday as she copes with the deaths of her husband Kobe Bryant, their daughter Gigi and seven other people in a helicopter crash last month. โMy brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone,โ she wrote. โItโs like Iโm trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. Please continue to pray for all.โThe social media post included a video feature from Slam Magazine about Kobe Bryant coaching their daughter Giannaโs basketball team. Also killed in the crash were pilot Ara Zobayan and Bryant friends Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton.
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2/24: Bryant memorial reflects dad and daughter's uniforms
(AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)LOS ANGELES, Calif. โ Kobe Bryant 's widow announced Friday that a โcelebration of lifeโ memorial will be held on Feb. 24 at the Staples Center to honor her late husband and 13-year-old daughter Gianna. They and seven others died in a helicopter crash last month. Vanessa Bryant posted a graphic on Instagram morning to announce the service, a day after reports surfaced about the memorial. A large memorial of flowers and mementos outside Staples Center was removed earlier this week. Also killed in the crash were pilot Ara Zobayan and Bryant friends Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton.
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10 Things to Know for Today
People queue up to buy face masks at a cosmetics shop in Hong Kong, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. DEATH TOLL RISES FROM CHINA VIRUS At least 170 are dead and more countries reported infections as foreign evacuees from hard-hit Wuhan return home to medical observation and even isolation. YOUโRE LIVING A LITTLE LONGER Life expectancy in the U.S. is up for the first time in four years โ about a month. The rise is due to lower death rates for cancer and drug overdoses.
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Vanessa Bryant posts on Instagram for the first time since Kobeโs death
(CNN) โ Kobe Bryantโs widow, Vanessa Bryant, made her first public statement Wednesday, posting a long message on Instagram. Vanessa Bryant said she felt Kobe and Gianna were lighting the way for her and three other daughters. Earlier Wednesday, Vanessa Bryant changed her Instagram profile picture to one showing the basketball legend and Gianna sharing a tender moment. Vanessa Bryant had made her Instagram page private after the crash. Vanessa and Kobe Bryant married in 2001.
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Vanessa Bryant statement: 'We are completely devastated'
We definitely need them,โ Vanessa Bryant wrote. โThere arenโt enough words to describe our pain right now,โ Vanessa Bryant wrote. โIโm not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and itโs impossible to imagine life without them,โ Vanessa Bryant wrote. Have them here with us, forever.โThere has been no announcement on funeral or memorial plans yet for Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Vanessa Bryant asked for continued respect of her familyโs privacy as it begins to โnavigate this new reality.โ___More AP coverage of the life and death of Kobe Bryant: https://apnews.com/KobeBryant___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Chrissy Teigen honored at Baby2Baby gala
Kate Hudson arrives at the 2019 Baby2Baby Gala on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Culver City, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)CULVER CITY, CA โ Chrissy Teigen said she felt honored to receive an award at the Baby2Baby Gala, but her acceptance speech wasn't all about her achievement: "No kid should go hungry. "I feel honored to be honored," Teigen said. Legend praised Teigen for being an advocate for children through Baby2Baby. The nonprofit organization looks for high-profile celebs to highlight their mission of helping provide basic necessities to children living in poverty. Teigen said she and Legend have tried to instill the importance of giving to the less fortunate in their young children, Luna and Miles.