A judge ordered the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Monday to release the names of four deputies that allegedly took or shared photos of the helicopter crash scene where Kobe Bryant was killed.
The names must be made available to Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, according to CNN.
The names of four Los Angeles County Sheriff Department deputies who allegedly took or shared grisly photos of the scene of the helicopter crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant will be released to Vanessa Bryant, a judge ruled https://t.co/5NbfiIbo3K
— CNN (@CNN) March 9, 2021
The police department and Los Angeles County requested the names of the deputies remain sealed due to concerns over the security of the photos, CNN reported. (RELATED: Pilot In Helicopter Crash That Killed Kobe Bryant Violated Federal Rules By Flying Into Fog, Investigators Claim)
“Hackers may attempt to seek out and gain access to the individual deputies’ devices to locate any photographs and publish them,” court documents obtained by CNN said.
U.S. District Judge John F. Walter pointed out that the argument was “totally inconsistent with their position that such photographs no longer exist.”
Bryant called for the names to be released in February, claiming the deputies needed to be “held accountable.”
“The Sheriff’s Department wants to redact the names of the deputies that took and/or shared photos of my husband, daughter and other victims,” Bryant wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. “Anyone else facing allegations would be unprotected, named and released to the public … These specific deputies need to be held accountable for their actions just like everyone else.”
Sheriff Alex Villanueva previously confirmed that any photographs in the possession of the police department had been deleted, CNN reported.
The legendary basketball player, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were en route to the Mamba Sports Academy for a basketball tournament when the helicopter crashed into a hillside.