Days after Vanessa Bryant broke down whereas testifying how 'harm and betrayed' she was to be taught of the Kobe Bryant crash pictures, she and daughter Natalia walked hand-in-hand for one more day in courtroom.
The second week of Vanessa Bryant‘s invasion-of-privacy trial towards Los Angeles County kicked off on Monday (Aug. 22), with Kobe Bryant’s widow arriving on the L.A. courtroom along with her daughter, Natalia Bryant. As Vanessa, 40, walked in along with her authorized staff and entourage, she held her 19-year-old daughter’s hand. The Bryants dressed for the seriousness of the matter, with Natalia carrying all black whereas her mom opted for a white button-up. As the 2 walked in, one of many paparazzi informed her “good luck” in Spanish, and she or he responded with “Gracias,” per Backgrid.
On Friday (Aug. 19), Vanessa testified concerning the emotional stress and harm she felt when she realized of the pictures taken by first responders of Kobe and 13-year-old Giana Bryant following their deadly 2020 helicopter crash. She testified that she was breastfeeding her then-7-month-old daughter, Capri, when she realized of a Los Angeles Instances report about sheriff’s deputies sharing the graphic pictures with civilians.
“I simply bear in mind not desirous to react trigger the ladies have been within the room,” mentioned a tearful Vanessa. “I mentioned, ‘I can’t do that.’… And I bolted out of the home, and I ran to the facet of the home so the ladies couldn’t see me. I needed to run… down the block and simply scream. I can’t escape my physique. I can’t escape what I really feel. … I used to be blindsided once more, devastated, harm. I trusted them. I trusted them to not do this stuff.” Vanessa additionally testified that she’s terrified that these pictures would leak and seem on-line and that she lives “in worry on daily basis of seeing [them] on social media.”
This present day was the primary time the jury of 5 males and 4 ladies heard from Vanessa and LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Bryant accused the county’s sheriff’s and hearth division’s staff of taking unauthorized pictures of the crash scene and sharing the pictures of her husband and daughter’s stays with others. Chris Chester, who misplaced his spouse and daughter in the identical crash, joined Vanessa within the lawsuit. Each declare the county violated their constitutional rights to regulate the demise photographs of their family members, per USA Immediately.
Sheriff Villanueva claimed that the pictures weren't leaked and that as an alternative of opening a proper investigation into the alleged misconduct – which might invoke union guidelines, require attorneys and contain delays, thus permitting extra time for the pictures to unfold – his division got here up with a “cut price,” per CNN. Deputies concerned within the leak would show that the pictures have been deleted and get a be aware about their conduct of their efficiency log. “You'll be able to’t have the accountability and (additionally) danger the pictures getting out,” Villanueva testified, per CNN. “And we picked the suitable one.”
The trial has concerned testimony from first responders, together with a deputy who confirmed the crash photographs at a bar, one other deputy who shared the pictures whereas taking part in a online game, a deputy who despatched dozens of the pictures to somebody who he didn’t know, and a fireplace official who confirmed the pictures to different officers throughout an awards ceremony cocktail hour.