Vanessa Bryant’s Lawsuit and Deposition After Kobe Bryant’s Death: Everything to Know

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Vanessa Bryant’s Lawsuit and Deposition After Kobe Bryant’s Death: Everything to Know

Vanessa Bryant has been dealing with more than just the emotional side of losing husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna in the January 2020 fatal helicopter crash — she’s been battling multiple legal suits since their deaths. The basketball legend died at the age of 41 on January 26, 2020, alongside his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other passengers when the helicopter they were on crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California. The late NBA player is survived by his wife and their three other daughters, Natalia, Bianka and Capri. Following confirmation that Kobe and Gianna were among the deceased passengers in the wreck, Vanessa released a statement via Instagram about her family’s heartbreak. “There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved,” she wrote in January 2020. “We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.” [jwplayer Zeh215ge-zhNYySv2] She continued, “I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them. But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless — and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever.” The following month, Vanessa sued the helicopter company for negligence and the pilot Ara Zobayan, who also died in the accident, for his role in the crash. The model later filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in September 2020 for negligence, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress after photos of the deceased surfaced despite her alleged requests to contain the scene. Amid her two court cases related to Kobe and Gianna’s deaths, Vanessa was sued by her mother, Sofia Laine, for allegedly kicking her out of her home, which Vanessa and Kobe paid for ahead of his passing. Scroll down to see where all of Vanessa’s lawsuits stand today — and what she revealed in her deposition: This is an ongoing article that was originally published in October 2021 and last updated on Tuesday, November 16. [podcast_block]

Credit: Courtesy of Kobe Bryant/Instagram

Kobe and Gianna’s Fatal Helicopter Crash

Kobe died in January 2020 at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash alongside eight other passengers, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, whom he shared with Vanessa. The couple share three other girls, Natalia, Bianka and Capri.

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Vanessa Files Wrongful Death Suit

Us confirmed in February 2020 that Vanessa filed a wrongful death suit against Island Express Helicopters, which is the company that owned the helicopter in which Kobe and Gianna perished one month prior.

The filing claimed that pilot Zobayan, who was also killed in the crash, was “negligent” and failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft.” The complaint alleged that the helicopter was flying at 180 mph before it collided into a hillside in Los Angeles, stating that Zobayan should have aborted the flight due to foggy and potentially blinding conditions.

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Seeking Damages and Lost Wages

According to court documents obtained by Us in June 2020, Vanessa sought substantial compensation for Kobe’s future earnings that could have equaled “hundreds of millions of dollars” in her wrongful death suit against the helicopter company and Zobayan’s estate.

“As a result of Kobe Bryant’s and GB’s deaths, Vanessa Bryant seeks economic damages, non-economic damages, prejudgment interest, punitive damages, and other relief as the Court deems just and proper,” the documents read. “Although the total specific amount of personal injury damages the plaintiff seeks is TBD, Kobe Bryant’s future lost earnings equal hundreds of millions of dollars.” The filing noted that the “amount demanded exceeds $25,000.”

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Pushing for Helicopter Safety Act

Lawmakers introduced the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act in June 2020. The legislation would require all helicopters that can fit six or more people to include a Terrain Awareness and Warning System, a tool to record flight data and a cockpit voice recorder on every trip.

Vanessa spoke out in support of the act in a statement, saying, “I strongly urge that the United States Congress pass a federal law that would improve the safety of helicopters operating in this country. I believe there is a chance that Kobe and Gianna would still be alive today if their helicopter had been equipped with the safety equipment required by this pending federal legislation. I believe that these safety measures will save many lives.”

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Taking Action Against L.A. Sheriff’s Department

The California native filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in September 2020 over photographs taken by deputies at the accident site of her husband and daughter’s death eight months prior. The department, Sheriff Alex Villanueva and the county are named as defendants in Vanessa’s lawsuit.

“The gratuitous images soon became talked about within the department, as deputies displayed them to colleagues in settings that had nothing to do with investigating the accident,” the complaint claimed. “One deputy even used his photos of the victims to try to impress a woman at a bar, bragging about how he had been at the crash site.”

The filing called the department’s actions “outrageous,” claiming the release of the images caused Vanessa and her family “emotional distress and compounded the trauma” of losing Kobe and Gianna. It also alleged that Villanueva “directed a cover-up” and claimed “no fewer than eight sheriff’s deputies” at the crash site snapped photo with their personal cell phones of the deceased.

“Shortly following this tragic crash, Sheriff Villanueva sponsored legislation which now makes it a crime for public safety personnel to take and share non-official pictures of this nature,” a spokesperson for the LASD said in a statement at the time. “Due to the pending litigation, we are unable to offer further comment.”

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Helicopter Lawsuit Put to Rest

Vanessa reached a settlement in the lawsuit against Island Express Helicopters and the estate of pilot Zobayan in June 2021 alongside the three families of those killed in the fatal crash one year prior, according to a notice in federal court. The terms of the settlement are confidential and pending final approval by the court.

“The material terms of the settlement and releases are known to the settling parties and include that the terms of the settlement are confidential,” the Los Angeles Superior Court filing stated at the time. “The settling parties are currently finalizing settlement documents, which include the necessary documentation for approving compromise of the minors’ claims.”

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Vanessa Speaks Out Over Mom’s Allegations

Vanessa’s mom, Sofia Laine, made headlines in September 2020 after claiming in an interview with Univision that her daughter demanded she move out of her home and return the car she used.

Days later, Vanessa addressed her mother’s allegations telling Us in a statement, “My husband and daughter passed away unexpectedly and yet my mom has the audacity to do an interview on TV talking negatively about me while shedding tears about a car and home that wasn’t in her name.”

The model claimed that her mom removed her jewelry, emptied her apartment that she “provides” and put the furniture in storage to appear “without support” amid her allegations. “My husband and I have financially supported her over the past 20 years, and I continue to do so, in addition to her monthly alimony,” the statement continued. “Contrary to previous reports, she has not been physically present or emotionally supportive for my daughters and me after my husband and daughter passed away.”

Credit: John Salangsang/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Sofia Laine Claims Vanessa Owes Her Money for Nannying Granddaughters

Laine filed a lawsuit against her daughter Vanessa in December 2020. According to court documents obtained by Us, Laine claimed she worked as an unpaid “longtime personal assistant and nanny” for the family and that Kobe “promised to take care of” her “for the rest of her life.”

In the wake of the NBA player’s death, Laine claimed Vanessa “took each and every step she could to void and cancel all of Kobe Bryant’s promises made to [Laine]. Vanessa Bryant did not intend to honor any of the Bryants’ representations, agreements and promises at any stage.”

Vanessa claimed in a statement to Us at the time that her mother is “continuing to try and find ways to extort a financial windfall from our family.” She also denied that Laine was ever a nanny to her children or her personal assistant.

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Cutting Ties With Nike

Vanessa confirmed in April 2021 that the late Lakers player’s contract with Nike had "expired." The partnership dated back to 2003.

“My hope will always be to allow Kobe’s fans to get and wear his products. I will continue to fight for that. Kobe’s products sell out in seconds. That says everything,” she wrote in a statement via Instagram at the time. “I was hoping to forge a lifelong partnership with Nike that reflects my husband’s legacy. We will always do everything we can to honor Kobe and Gigi’s legacies. That will never change.”

Nike commented on the 18-year partnership in a statement to Us, saying, “Kobe Bryant was an important part of Nike’s deep connection to consumers. He pushed us and made everyone around him better. Though our contractual relationship has ended, he remains a deeply loved member of the Nike family.”

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Vanessa Settles Lawsuit With Her Mom

Us confirmed in August 2021 that Vanessa settled the December 2020 lawsuit filed against her by her mother, in which Laine claimed that her daughter used her as an unpaid “longtime personal assistant and nanny.” While the terms of the settlement are private, the case is over.

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Reliving Her Worst Moment

Vanessa spoke in a court deposition via Zoom in October 2021 about how she learned of her husband and daughter’s deaths amid her ongoing lawsuit against the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department. In the transcript of her statement, which was later obtained by Us, Vanessa claimed it took hours for her to be officially informed that the basketball legend and their 13-year-old daughter were killed.

According to Vanessa, an assistant told her of the crash, but at the time “didn’t know” whether Kobe and Gianna were OK. After attempting to call her husband, she and daughter Natalia were driven to the sheriff’s station in Malibu, California. Upon her arrival, Vanessa claimed the officers “weren’t prepared” and wouldn’t answer her when she asked about her loved ones.

Once sheriff Villanueva finally broke the news of their deaths to Vanessa, she said she requested that authorities “secure the area” and preserve the dignity of Kobe and Gianna as well as the rest of the victims.

“I said, ‘If you can’t bring my husband and baby back, please make sure no one takes photographs of them.’ … And he said, ‘I will.’ … I was afraid of fans or drones or helicopters getting images of my husband and my daughter and our friends,” Vanessa said at the hearing, claiming the request was not executed properly, which allegedly led to photos of her deceased being taken by police and spread around.

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Fighting for Accountability

In Vanessa’s initial filing against the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, she claimed eight deputies took pictures of the scene with their cell phones and used the photos for non-investigative purposes. In the deposition hearing in October 2021, she called for “accountability” from the department and its employees.

“I don’t think it’s right that I have to deal with this; that my kids have to deal with this when they get older and they become aware of what happened; that our friends have to deal with this,” she said in the virtual hearing. “I don’t think it’s fair that I’m here today having to fight for accountability. Because no one should ever have to endure this type of pain and fear of their family members. … I just don’t understand how someone can have no regard for life and compassion, and, instead, choose to take that opportunity to photograph lifeless and helpless individuals for their own sick amusement.”

Vanessa is suing for negligence, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress amid her battle against the department.

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Who Will Testify?

According to court documents obtained by the New York Times in October 2021, both the sheriff’s department and Vanessa’s team are fighting over the scope of witness interviews as the lawsuit against the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department prepares to go to trial.

Vanessa listed a number of people in her life to attest to the emotional distress she’s experienced since the death of her husband and their teenage daughter in January 2020. The list includes Ciara, Kobe’s sister Sharia Washington, Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and his wife, Kristin Pelinka, among others.

According to Ciara’s lawyer, the “document requests are grossly overbroad.” The witnesses are being subpoenaed for all documents and communications related to Vanessa’s emotional distress, going back 10 years.

“As we have discussed, the document requests are not overbroad,” a lawyer for the county responded in October 2021, later agreeing that witnesses would only have to turn over communications regarding Vanessa’s mental start going back to 2010.

The witness scope issue is set to be resolved in the coming days, with a judge scheduling hearings for October 29 and November 5 to rule on some motions amid the long legal battle.

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The Psychological Evaluation

In November 2021, a judge ruled that forcing Vanessa to undergo an independent medical evaluation to determine the level of her "emotional distress" would be "untimely" as the lawsuit continued.

While attorneys for the sheriff's department previously argued that the results of the psychological exam would be "not only relevant, but necessary" as evidence, Vanessa's lawyers told CNN in October 2021, "It does not take an expert — and it certainly does not take an involuntary eight-hour psychiatric examination — for a jury to assess the nature and extent of the emotional distress caused by [the department's] misconduct."

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Therapy Records

Vanessa was ordered in November 2021 to turn over her mental health records and therapy transcripts by the end of that month amid her ongoing lawsuit against Los Angeles County for their part in the leaking of photos of Kobe and Gianna following their deaths.

According to court documents, a judge is requesting that Vanessa and her therapist both provide documents from January 2017 to present day in order to help prove that the photo leak caused the former model emotional distress. The paperwork is due by November 29, while the trial isn’t set to start until February 2022.