Vanessa Bryant has publicly released the names of the four deputies who allegedly shared unauthorized and graphic photographs of the January 2020 helicopter crash that killed Laker legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others.
According to People, on Wednesday, Vanessa shared several multiple screenshots of the filing on her Instagram account.
Circling the defendants' names in red, Vanessa pointed out the LASD, the Los Angeles Fire Department, and four individuals: Joey Cruz, Rafael Mejia, Michael Russell, and Raul Versales.
Vanessa’s legal counsel shared in the document that she had spoken with LASD Sheriff Alex Villanueva on the morning of the tragic crash and requested the site to be secured for privacy reasons.
“[The] assurance was hollow” said her legal counsel in the document. “Sheriff’s deputies who responded to the crash used personal cell phones to take gratuitous photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches.”
The filing continued: “Photos of the remains quickly spread within the Sheriff's Department as deputies transmitted them to one another via text message and AirDrop. Within forty-eight hours, at least ten members of the Sheriff's Department obtained photos of the victims' remains on their personal cell phones despite having no legitimate governmental use of the photos.”
The document also reports that Meja, a deputy at the LASD, had responded to the crash site and “obtained multiple photographs of Bryants' remains and stored them on his personal cell phone.” He then sent photos to “at least two individuals without any legitimate governmental purpose.” Trainee deputy, Cruz, was one of the recipients.
The filing also states that Cruz then showed his niece the photos while visiting his mother’s home and showed the images to a bartender and restaurant customer at the Baja California Bar and Grill in Norwalk, Calif.
Latest Stories
-
GhIE condemns intervention by Ashanti Regional Minister in ECG Affairs; commends ECG GM for upholding regulatory standards
10 mins -
GPL: Asantehene tasks Asante Kotoko to do ‘better’ after crucial meeting
16 mins -
Why Sam Jonah can’t trust Ghanaian journos to cover Election 2024 professionally
37 mins -
Laryea Kingston takes over as Black Starlets head coach
54 mins -
NDC MPs calls for resignation of ECG MD, board
54 mins -
KNUST’s Prof. Grace Nkansa Asante becomes Ghana’s first female Professor of Economics
1 hour -
Ghana secures MoU on debt restructuring from bilateral creditors
1 hour -
Predecessor Awards Worldwide launches legacy book by American baseball star
2 hours -
Protest at Mallam as residents demand improved roads
2 hours -
Survey names Cape Town as Africa’s best airport
2 hours -
All Regional Games: Torch Relay ceremony held in Accra ahead of maiden edition
2 hours -
Kofi Kinaata fulfils promise to release new album
2 hours -
Ronaldo inspires me – Cadman Yamoah
2 hours -
Absa Bank champions Intra-African Trade at the Absa Export Advantage Forum
2 hours -
I’m trying to prove people wrong – Kofi Kinaata explains why he avoids rap beefs
2 hours