LA County to settle Vanessa Bryant crash-photo lawsuit for $28M, ending all future claims

LOS ANGELES -- Vanessa Bryant and her children will receive more than $28 million to settle their outstanding claims against Los Angeles County over the graphic photographs taken and shared after the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna in 2020.

The settlement includes the $15 million awarded by a jury last summer.

The additional almost $14 million settles other potential additional claims Bryant and her daughters could have pursued in state court.

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"Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant's courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in gross misconduct," said an attorney for Vanessa Bryant to Eyewitness News. "She fought for her husband, her daughter, and all of those in the community whose deceased family were treated with similar disrespect. We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice."

An attorney for LA County called the settlement "fair and reasonable."

A statement from Mira Hashmall, lead counsel for LA County in this case read:

"We believe the settlement approved by the Board in the Bryant case is fair and reasonable. The $28,850,000 settlement includes the verdict awarded by the federal jury in August 2022, and further resolves all outstanding issues related to pending legal claims in state court, future claims by the Bryant children, and other costs, with each party responsible for its respective attorneys' fees.

"This settlement now concludes all County-related litigation related to the tragic January 2020 helicopter crash. We hope Ms. Bryant and her children continue to heal from their loss."

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DEVELOPING: More details will be added to this report.