Multiple reports from The Los Angeles Times have suggested that deputies snapped photos of Kobe Bryant’s gruesome crash site and leaked them while at a bar. Now, according to The Los Angeles Times, people are saying the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department performed a massive cover-up over the scandal.
What’s going on:
- The Los Angeles Times said: “From that point on, for nearly five weeks, the leadership of the Sheriff’s Department tried to keep a lid on the episode instead of following the normal investigative protocols — even after determining that several more deputies had obtained photos, according to interviews.”
- Patti Giggans, the chair of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, said the destruction of the photos and the surrounding scandal “looks like a cover-up of misconduct.”
- Some have called for an independent investigation.
Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, said: “We should be having outside people investigating what’s happening inside the department that’s been riddled with corruption.”
Vanessa Bryant wasn’t happy about it, either
Vanessa Bryant’s lawyers released a statement — which was seen on her Instagram feed — which revealed Bryant wasn’t happy with the decision to release the photos, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
Bryant reportedly visited the sheriff’s department the day of the crash to make sure no one snapped photos of the crash site.
The entire statement read:
“Our client, Vanessa Bryant, is absolutely devastated by allegations that deputies from the Lost Hills Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department publicly disseminated photos from the helicopter crash site.
“Mrs. Bryant personally went to the sheriff’s office on Jan. 26 and requested that the area be designated a no-fly zone and protected from photographers. This was of critical importance to her as she desired to protect the dignity of all the victims, and their families. At that time, Sheriff Alex Villanueva assured us all measures would be put in place to protect the families’ privacy, and it is our understanding that he has worked hard to honor those requests.
“First responders should be trustworthy. It is inexcusable and deplorable that some deputies from the Lost Hills Sheriff’s substation, other surrounding substations and LACOFD would allegedly breach their duty. This is an unspeakable violation of human decency, respect and of the privacy rights of the victims and their families. We are demanding that those responsible for these alleged actions face the harshest possible discipline, and that their identities be brought to light, to ensure that the photos are not further disseminated. We are requesting an internal affairs investigation of these alleged incidents.
“Mrs. Bryant is grateful to the individual who filed an online complaint exposing these acts of injustice, and for the choice to protect human dignity.”