Kobe Bryant’s untimely passing in 2020 shattered the basketball world like nothing else. After the news hit social media, fans around the world banded together to celebrate the life and career of Bryant, along with his daughter, Gianna, who was also a victim of the fatal crash that killed multiple people in Southern California.
Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end there. In the aftermath of the incident, some of the first responders who arrived on the scene had shared some of the crash photos without permission from the family.
Now, with the LA County Sheriff’s office being battled in court, one deputy admitted to sharing the photos to a friend online while the two were playing Call of Duty.
Russell, who claimed he had initially received the photos from fellow deputy Joey Cruz hours after the wreck, said he joined a video game party with Santa Clarita deputy Ben Sanchez the following day.
While the two were playing the first-person shooter game, Russell testified he told Sanchez he had the photos, and then asked if he wanted to see them. When the cop said yes, Russell said he sent them over.
Russell admitted in court that he had no business doing that. He also testified that he received nothing more than a minor write-up as punishment.
Cruz, meanwhile, also testified in court on Tuesday … and did admit to showing the photos to a bartender as well. Cruz said he did it to relieve the stress he had been dealing with due to the situation — and testified that he did feel remorseful over it all.
Obviously, it was completely inappropriate to share these crash photos with anyone who didn’t need to see them. The way some of those first responders acted was insensitive and borderline disrespectful to Kobe and his grieving family.
Now, Vanessa is making them pay in court, where the truth of the situation is slowly coming to light.
