Two families who lost relatives in last year’s helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people will receive settlements of $2.5 million from Los Angeles County, according to the Associated Press. The settlement was approved by the Board of Supervisors after two federal lawsuits were filed by the Altobelli and Mauser families, alleging they suffered emotional distress over the crash photos that were reportedly taken or shared by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and firefighters.
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Kobe Bryant, has a similar ongoing lawsuit. The settlement has to be approved by a judge and will pay $1.25 million to Matthew Mauser, whose wife was killed in the crash. Another $1.25 million will be shared by J.J. Altobelli and Alexis Altobelli, siblings who lost their mother, father and 14-year-old sister.
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Skip Miller, an attorney representing the county said the settlements are “reasonable and fair to all concerned.” He also added, “We are pleased that the Mauser and Altobelli families, who as private citizens suffered the same grief and loss as others, will be able to move forward after these settlements. We also hope that eventually, the other families will be able to do the same.”
Vanessa Bryant continues her lawsuit over the photos. On Monday, a federal judge ruled that she won’t have to undergo a psychological examination that the county argued was necessary to determine if she suffered emotional distress. Attorneys for the county claim that Vanessa has never seen the photos which haven’t been made public. The lawsuits state that the photos were shared by a deputy trainee with some bar patrons and a firefighter with some off-duty colleagues.
Court documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times revealed Vanessa’s testimony of learning the news of the crash. She said an assistant to the family knocked on the door to their home last her and revealed that the helicopter carrying Kobe and Gianna had crashed. “She told me that there was an accident and that there were five survivors,” Vanessa said in early October. “And I asked her if Gianna and Kobe were OK. And she said she wasn’t sure.”
Vanessa attempted to call Kobe but got no answer. She then called her mother, asking her to come over to watch her youngest children. “I was trying to call my husband back,” she testified, “and all these notifications started popping up on my phone, saying, RIP Kobe. RIP Kobe. RIP Kobe.” It would be hours before Vanessa was officially told of the deaths of Kobe and Gianna.
