2 Families Settle Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash Photo Lawsuit With L.A. County

Two of the families who lost loved ones in the tragic helicopter crash that also killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna will receive $2.5 million in settlements from Los Angeles County. Nine people in total died in the Jan. 26, 2020 crash.

According to ESPN, the Altobelli and Mauser families won their federal lawsuits where they alleged to have suffered emotional distress over graphic photographs of the crash scene that reportedly were taken by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and firefighters and then later shared.

Matthew Mauser, who lost his wife in the crash, will receive $1.25 million if the settlement is approved by a judge. J.J. Altobelli and Alexis Altobelli., who lost their mother, father, and 14-year-old sister to the tragedy, will also receive the same amount. According to the Los Angeles Times, the county has spent around $1.3 million on the cases.

Skip Miller, an attorney representing the county, said that they are happy with the results of the suit and hope that the families will be able to move forward.

“We are pleased that the Mauser and Altobelli families, who as private citizens suffered the same grief and loss as others, will be able to move forward after these settlements,” Miller said. “We also hope that eventually the other families will be able to do the same.”

The lawsuit that Vanessa Bryant filed, however, is still ongoing. Bryant’s lawsuit also revolves around photos that were allegedly taken at the crash scene that were not part of the investigation. It is being alleged that a deputy trainee shared the photos with people at a bar and that a firefighter shared them with colleagues who were off-duty. The sheriff and fire chief must provide depositions in the case, which is set to enter trial in February. 

Bryant said in her deposition that “for the rest of my life I’m going to have to fear that these photographs of my husband and child will be leaked.”