Los Angeles County agreed Tuesday to pay $2.5 million to grieve families who lost relatives in the horrific helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others in January 2020.
Per The Associated Press, the county’s Board of Supervisors approved a settlement of two federal lawsuits by both the Altobelli and Mauser families, who said they suffered emotional distress over leaked graphic images of the crash site scene.
- If approved by a judge, the county will pay $1.25 million to Matthew Mauser, whose wife was killed in the crash.
- The county will send another $1.25 million to J.J. Altobelli and Alexis Altobelli, siblings who lost their mother, father and 14-year-old sister in the crash, according to the AP.
Skip Miller, an attorney representing the county, said the payments are “reasonable and fair to all concerned,” per Associated Press.
- “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,” he said, according to The Associated Press.
Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, has a similar case going on right now. That case has not been settled and appears headed for trial. Bryant and others are suing Los Angeles County over the leaked graphic images from the 2020 helicopter crash, which were allegedly leaked by Los Angeles County officers.
Vanessa Bryant sued Los Angeles County in September 2020, saying the graphic photo leak was a violation of civil rights and caused emotional distress, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
- Recently, Los Angeles County asked a judge to force Vanessa Bryant to take a psychiatric evaluation before a potential trial, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
- A federal judge ruled Monday that Vanessa Bryant won’t need to take the exam before trial.
- U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick said the motion to host an exam was untimely, per NPR.