The shocking death of Kobe Bryant may have stunned the world, but when it was revealed that death photos from the helicopter crash site that took the lives of Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others were shared among Los Angeles officials, things took a turn. Vanessa Byant has been engaged in an ongoing lawsuit again Los Angeles County authorities who stand accused of illegally and irresponsibly sharing the pictures.
According to TMZ, documents state that Vanessa claims when she learned of the crash, she specifically told Sherriff Alex Villanueva, "If you can't bring my husband and baby back, please make sure no one takes photographs of them." However, that request went ignored as photos were taken as circulated by officers.
Authorities have reportedly said that the images have been permanently deleted, but Vanessa isn't convinced that they are telling the truth. "I've been tormented with thoughts of who took it and whether it depicts my husband," documents reportedly read.
She adds, "It infuriates me that the people I trusted to protect the dignity of my husband and daughter abused their positions to obtain souvenirs of their deaths, as though possessing pictures of their remains somehow makes them special. I imagine Kobe watching over what occurred at that crash scene, and I am overcome by anger and emotion."
And there's more ... "I feel sick at the thought that deputies and firefighters have gawked at photos of my husband's and child's bodies without any reason. I also feel extreme sadness and anger knowing that photos of my husband's and daughter's bodies were laughed about while shown at a bar and awards banquet."
Additionally, Vanessa mentions that even when she types her late husband's name in the Google search bar, a suggestion of "Kobe Bryant body" appears. To add to her anxiety, Vanessa also claims that she has been subjected to the taunting of online trolls who send her messages and comments about having the images while threatening to show them to the world.
[via]
