Vanessa Bryant‘s lawyer said she is “absolutely devastated” by allegations that Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shared photos of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of her husband, Kobe Bryant, her daughter, Gianna Bryant, and seven others in January.
In a statement posted to Bryant’s Instagram page on Sunday, attorney Gary C. Robb called on the sheriff’s office to be investigated by the department’s internal affairs bureau.
What’s more, the family attorney has demanded “the harshest possible discipline” for those responsible for sharing the alleged gruesome photos.
Vanessa Bryant, Robb said, personally went to the sheriff’s office after the Jan. 26 tragedy to request a “no-fly zone” near the crash site. She also wanted the area guarded against photographers.
“At that time, Sheriff Alex Villanueva assured us all measures would be put in place to protect the families’ privacy, and it is our understanding that he has worked hard to honor those requests,” Robb said.
The attorney also demanded that the deputies be identified “to ensure that the photos are not further disseminated.”
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“First responders should be trustworthy,” said Robb, who called the allegations “inexcusable and deplorable” and a “breach of duty.”
On Friday, the Times reported that sheriff’s deputies who responded to the scene of the crash took pictures of the victims’ remains, citing two public safety sources.
Such allegations are normally followed up with a formal inquiry or internal affairs investigation, however, the sheriff’s department is accused of quietly asking the deputies involved to admit wrongdoing and delete the photos from their phones to avoid any discipline.
Capt. Jorge Valdez told The Times that his office is investigating the matter and contacted family members of the victims regarding the allegation – not because of the actual allegation but because the newspaper had inquired about it.
It is unclear how many deputies and city officials may have seen or shared the photos.
TMZ reported that the sheriff’s department first learned of this incident by a bartender after a sheriff’s deputy trainee reportedly went to a bar and “tried to impress a girl by showing her the photos,” according to a source.
The bartender allegedly heard the conversation and filed a complaint online with the police.
Robb said Vanessa Bryant is “grateful” to the individual for filing the online complaint and “exposing these acts of injustice, and for the choice to protect human dignity.”
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