Published 17:20 IST, January 19th 2021
Vanessa Bryant pleads media to not show Kobe's crash photos: 'We do NOT want to see it'
In a recent Instagram post, Vanessa Bryant requested media outlets to be respectful and not share any Kobe Bryant crash site photos on their death anniversary.
Last January, the world lost NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others in a tragic helicopter crash. The tragedy sent the world into months of grieving, with players and fans honouring the Black Mamba in various ways. However, thousands of tributes were also accompanied by people violating the affected family's privacy – sharing crash site photos and even autopsy reports.
Vanessa Bryant asks media to refrain from sharing any Kobe Bryant crash photos
As Bryant's death anniversary nears, Vanessa Bryant took to Instagram to share her views, urging media outlets to not share any crash site photos. She thanked every media outlet who has "respectfully" handled their deaths, hoping everyone else follows the same route. "Please reconsider your 'news story' and look at your footage through the eyes of their children, parents, spouse, siblings and family," she wrote. "Celebrate their lives, not the day they lost them".
The 38-year-old also asked everyone to not broadcast photos from the crash. She let everyone know that they do not want to see the ruins, stating that their year has been traumatic enough. "We hope videos of remembrance are done in a classy and tasteful manner that is respectful of all of our losses," she added, reminding them there are countless photos of Bryant and Gigi available.
Vanessa has also sued the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department over the crash site photos being leaked. According to Vanessa's lead attorney, the lawsuit filed is based on "accountability", and about preventing something like this from happening to other families who've lost their loved ones.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva allegedly attempted to "cover-up" the situation by asking deputies to delete the images. The lawsuit also accuses the department of "negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of her right to privacy".
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Kobe Bryant autopsy report was also leaked online
A few months after Bryant's death, brief autopsy reports were shared, giving everyone an idea of how the death occurred. However, sometime later, a leaked page of the report was shared which included gruesome and gory details about the NBA star's death. People remained enraged over the idea, unable to understand why anyone would share such private information with the public.
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Also read | Vanessa Bryant sues LASD for allegedly sharing Kobe Bryant crash scene photos: Kobe and Gianna death
(Image credits: Vanessa Byant Instagram)
Updated 17:20 IST, January 19th 2021