Los Angeles County agrees to pay $2.5 million to families of victims over photos of Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash
Jessica Schladebeck
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle lawsuits brought by the families of four of the victims in the helicopter crash that also killed Kobe Bryant, which accused responding firefighters and deputies of sharing graphic photos they took of the scene.
The settlement, approved by officials without comment on Tuesday, is set to be divided between the Altobelli and Mauser families. Their lawyers alleged first responders “showed off” photos of the wrecked copter as well as other gruesome images, causing their clients severe emotional distress.
Vanessa Bryant speaks during a celebration of life for her husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Los Angeles.
Vanessa Bryant speaks during a celebration of life for her husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/)
The lawsuits were similar to two others that are slated to go to trial in February – one filed by Chris Chester, the husband and father of two other crash victims and one filed by Bryant’s widow, Vanessa.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and several others were flying to a basketball tournament on Jan. 26, 2020, when their helicopter crashed in the Calabasas hills west of Los Angeles in foggy weather. Everyone aboard the aircraft was killed in the incident, including Bryant, Gianna, her basketball coach Christina Mauser and Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli as well as his wife, Keri, and one his daughters, Alyssa.
If approved by a judge, $1.25 million will be awarded to Matthew Mauser, who lost his wife Christina in the crash. The rest of the pot will be shared by J.J. Altobelli and Alexis Altobelli, siblings whose mother, father and 14-year-old sister were killed when the helicopter slammed into Calabasas hillside at a high rate of speed.
News of the settlement came on the heels of a legal win for Vanessa Bryant, who previously testified that she was seeking “accountability” for those who shared images of her husband and daughter “as if they were animals on a street.”
Investigators work the scene of a helicopter crash that killed former NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and several others Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Calabasas, Calif. Los Angeles County has to pay $2.5 million to two families who lost relatives in the fatal helicopter crash. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, approved a settlement of two federal lawsuits filed by the Altobelli and Mauser families alleging they suffered emotional distress over graphic photographs of the scene that reportedly were taken or shared by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and firefighters.
Investigators work the scene of a helicopter crash that killed former NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and several others Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Calabasas, Calif. Los Angeles County has to pay $2.5 million to two families who lost relatives in the fatal helicopter crash. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, approved a settlement of two federal lawsuits filed by the Altobelli and Mauser families alleging they suffered emotional distress over graphic photographs of the scene that reportedly were taken or shared by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and firefighters. (Mark J. Terrill/)
Lawyers for the county had tried to require Vanessa to undergo a psychiatric examination, claiming that she could not be experiencing emotional distress, because the photos of the crash site had not been shared publicly and she had never seen them.
A federal magistrate on Monday ruled that she would not have to go through the psychiatric examination.
According to the lawsuits, the photos were shared by a deputy trainee with some bar patrons and by a firefighter with a group of off-duty colleagues.
Kobe Bryant was posthumously elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame less than three months after his tragic death in a helicopter crash. Bryant, along with Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and six others, will live out as basketball legends in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. To celebrate, take a look back at the legendary player's career.
Kobe Bryant, 17, jokes with the media as he holds his Los Angeles Lakers jersey during a news conference in Inglewood, Calif. on July 12, 1996.
Kobe Bryant dunks the ball at his Lower Merion, Pa. high school gym during a practice Friday, Jan. 19, 1996.
Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal (right) and guard Kobe Bryant confer during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California on Dec 8, 1996: The Lakers won the game, 110-86.
Kobe Bryant looks to pass the ball during the McDonald''s All-American at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Mar 31, 1996.
Los Angeles Lakers rookie Kobe Bryant is heckled by teammates as a television cameraman adjusts a microphone on his jersey for an interviewed during the Lakers? Media Day at the Forum in Inglewood, California on Monday, Oct. 14, 1996.
Kobe Bryant, of the Los Angeles Lakers, holding the trophy for winning the NBA Slam Dunk contest at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on Feb. 8, 1997.
19 Dec 1997: Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up for a basket during the Lakers 118-93 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California.
The 2-ball team with Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (C) and Lisa Leslie (R) sit on the bench with their coach Magic Johnson (L), the three-time Lakers' Most Valuable Player, while attending the inaugural Nestle Crunch All-Star 2-ball competition, which was held as part of the 1998 All-Star Weekend in New York on Feb. 7, 1998. The Los Angeles team finished fifth in the eight team competition.
Scottie Pippen (L) and Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls try to stop Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (C) as he leads a fast break during a Feb. 1, 1998, game in Los Angeles, Calif. Bryant and three other Lakers scored 20 or more points, leading their team to a 112-87 win.
Guard Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers makes a slam dunk during the game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on Feb. 16, 1999. The Lakers defeated the Hornets 116-88.
Kobe Bryant is pictured at the 1999 Euro ABC Camp in Berlin, Germany on July 7, 1999.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant shoots over New York Knicks' Patrick Ewing during the first half of their game Sunday, March 28, 1999, in Inglewood, Calif. The Lakers won the game 99-91.
Los Angeles Lakers' Tyronn Lue, left, Kobe Bryant, center, and Brian Shaw are all smiles as they watch their teammates play the Washington Wizards in the second quarter Friday, March 23, 2001, in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant points at teammate Robert Horry, not shown, during their 98-82 loss to the New Orleans Hornets, Friday, Dec. 13, 2002, in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, left, and Shaquille O'Neal celebrate after winning Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs, in Los Angeles on May 4, 2002.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant goes up for a basket against the New York Knicks during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at the Staples center in Los Angeles on Dec. 9, 2003.
Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal, left, and Kobe Bryant share a laugh on the bench while their teammate take on the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter Tuesday, April 15, 2003, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Bryant scored a game-high 32 points and O'Neal finished with 19 to help defeat the Nuggets, 126-104.
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant, left, shakes hands with general manger Mitch Kupchak after signing his contract during a news conference Thursday, July 15, 2004, at the team's training facility in El Segundo, Calif. Bryant chose the Lakers over the Clippers, remaining with the team he joined in 1996 at age 18 and later helped win three NBA championships.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (8) drives around the defense of Houston Rockets' Stromile Swift, left, during the fourth quarter of NBA basketball action, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005, in Los Angeles. The Rockets won 76-74.
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant directs his team during the first half against the Detroit Pistons in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 25, 2005.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant smiles at 19-month-old Anne Raegan during a visit to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., Sunday April 3, 2005. The Lakers were in Memphis to play against the Memphis Grizzlies. Bryant is out with a leg injury.
Los Angeles Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant smiles as he talks about his 81-point game Sunday against the Toronto Raptors at Lakers headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2006.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, right, reacts with teammate Kwame Brown during the second half of basketball action at New York's Madison Square Garden in 2006. Bryant scored 40 points as the Lakers won the game 130-97.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant speaks during a news conference Monday, May 8, 2006, in El Segundo, Calif. The Lakers lost a playoff series after holding a 3-1 lead for the first time, and the Suns became just the eighth NBA team to rally from such a deficit.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (8) looks to get by Dallas Mavericks defender Devin Harris, background, during NBA basketball action in Dallas, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2006. Bryant had 24-points in the 102-87 loss to the Mavericks.
Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers holds up his MVP trophy after the NBA All-Star game against the Eastern players in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant reacts after the Lakers failed to get a shot off in the final seconds of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles, on March 28, 2008.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant reacts after making a three-point basket during the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Wednesday, April 23, 2008, in Los Angeles.
Western All-Star Shaquille O'Neal (32) of the Phoenix Suns and Western All-Star Kobe Bryant (24) of the Los Angeles Lakers share the MVP award from the NBA All-Star basketball game Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, in Phoenix.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant holding the Larry O'Brien championship trophy and finals MVP trophy after the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game 5 of the NBA basketball finals, in Orlando, Fla. on June 14, 2009.
President Barack Obama stands with Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 25, 2010, during a ceremony honoring the 2009 NBA basketball champions Los Angeles Lakers.
Kobe Bryant holds up the MVP trophy after the NBA basketball All-Star Game in Los Angeles, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011. The West won 148-143.
Lebron James, left, and Kobe Bryant pose with their gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London on Aug. 12, 2012.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, right, fist-bumps his daughter Gianna after the last NBA basketball game of his career, against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, in Los Angeles.Bryant scored 60 points as the Lakers won 101-96.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant smiles during the first half of Bryant's last NBA basketball game, against the Utah Jazz in Los Angeles on April 13, 2016.
Former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant poses with his family during an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. The Lakers retired Bryant's No. 8 and No. 24 jersey during a halftime ceremony.
Shaquille O'Neal, left, and Kobe Bryant laugh as they attend the unveiling of a statue of O'Neal in front of Staples Center, Friday, March 24, 2017, in Los Angeles.
Former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant watches a tribute video with his family during an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. The Lakers retired Bryant's No. 8 and No. 24 jersey during a halftime ceremony.
Former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna watch during the U.S. national championships swimming meet Thursday, July 26, 2018, in Irvine, Calif.
Kobe Bryant, winner of the award for best animated short for "Dear Basketball", poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Kobe Bryant attends the 2018 Baby2Baby Gala on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018 in Culver City, Calif.
Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna watch the first half of an NCAA college basketball game between Connecticut and Houston, Saturday, March 2, 2019, in Storrs, Conn.
Kobe Bryant, right, and Vanessa Laine Bryant arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Kobe Bryant present the Arthur Ashe award for courage at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
“For the rest of my life I’m going to have to fear that these photographs of my husband and child will be leaked,” Vanessa said in her deposition.
Last week, the judge ordered that the sheriff and fire chief must provide depositions in the case. Her legal team is seeking to find out what they did and knew about the photos, including destruction of evidence related to it.
