Kobe Bryant Trial: Fire Captain Walks off Witness Stand More Than Once During Testimony

The case of Vanessa Bryant vs. Los Angeles County continues in court, and a former fire captain exited the witness stand multiple times during his testimony. According to Entertainment Tonight, Brian Jordan walked off the witness stand three times when he was questioned about the photos of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people in January 2020. Jordan said he has no memory of taking photos of the crash and has cited stress from working that day. 

“The way the whole scene looked, that’s going to haunt me forever,” Jordan said. Vanessa Bryant’s lawyer Luis Li said that Jordan was led through the scene by a sheriff’s deputy to take photos of the crash wreckage and victims’ remains. Jordan left the stand when Li asked him if Kobe Bryant’s remains “were among the pictures.”

“I need a break, I need a break,” Jordan said before adding, “Sorry your honor.” According to CNN, Jordan walked off the stand a total of three times. Jordan’s attorney, Steven Haney, spoke to CNN and said Jordan’s multiple departures during the testimony were a reaction to a medical condition associated with the crash scene. 

“The only reason I’m sitting here is because someone threw my name into this whole thing,” Jordan explained. He went on to say a supervisor asked him to take photos of the crash site as part of the fire department’s part of the crash. Vanessa Bryant is suing the country for sharing the crash site photos as “visual gossip,” according to Li. The county is arguing that the case has no legal merit because the photos were never leaked to the public. 

Along with Jordan taking the stand, Deputy Joey Cruz began his testimony. Cruz is accused of receiving and sharing photos at a local bar. During his testimony, Cruz, who was a trainee at the time, was asked if there was a reason he received the photos. 

“Looking back on it today, no.” Cruz said adding that he “took it too far” by showing the images to a “close friend.” Last week, Vanessa exited the courtroom when the bartender Victor Gutierrez was questioned about seeing the remains of Kobe and/or Gianna. The trial will continue through this week.