Vanessa Bryant stands against decision to move Kobe Bryant's case to Orange County

The lawsuit filed by Vanessa Bryant against Island Express Helicopters and the estate for pilot Ara Zobayan could be moved to a city other than Los Angeles. The pilot's brother, Berge Zobayan, had requested a change in the venue for the case as LA authorities could favour late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. According to recent reports, Vanessa Bryant has requested the venue remain unchanged, claiming that Bryant's legacy extends beyond LA and the Lakers. 

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Vanessa Bryant against court venue change for case against Island Express Helicopters

In June, the family of Kobe Bryant's pilot wanted the case to be moved from LA to Orange County, as they did not think a fair trial would be possible in a city where Bryant played for 20 years. However, TMZ Sports reported that Vanessa consciously chose LA as the venue as that is where the crash happened on January 26. She further added that her family has resided in Orange County for around 20 years, and her late husband has received love from around the world.

As per fresh court documents obtained by TMZ Sports, Bryant's attorney states that "the Defendant fails to acknowledge the extent to which Kobe Bryant’s legacy penetrates American culture." They further explained that no county line defines his celebrity status and the "public esteem for Kobe Bryant is a fact of American life." As per a previous TMZ report, Zobayan's family had argued that the case would start with "two strikes" against the pilot due to the "extreme level of popularity of the plaintiff with the jury pool."

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Vanessa Bryant has been constantly speaking about Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna after their death, carrying on their legacy. A month after their death, Vanessa filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Island Express Helicopters. The lawsuit seeks 'general, economic and punitive damages' and accuses the company of negligence, which subsequently caused Bryant and Gianna's death. The documents further accuse Ara Zobayan of 'negligent conduct', for which the helicopter company is ‘vicariously liable’.

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Vanessa also recently added new documents to the existing lawsuit which claim that the 38-year-old and her family have lost a lot of money due to Bryant's untimely death. As per the documents acquired by E! News, Vanessa is seeking "economic damages, non-economic damages, prejudgment interest, punitive damages, and other relief as the Court deems just and proper". The document, which is reportedly 72 pages long, does not specify an amount but states that "'Kobe Bryant's future lost earnings equals hundreds of millions of dollars". 

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(Image source: AP)