The $16 million verdict that Vanessa Bryant was awarded by a federal jury on Wednesday is ready to be decreased to $15 million after a juror found an error on the decision type and knowledgeable the court docket about it.
Bryant, the widow of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, prevailed in her civil trial in opposition to Los Angeles County Wednesday after the jury of 9 unanimously discovered the county responsible for damages to her and her fellow plaintiff Chris Chester, who was awarded $15 million by the identical jury.
“It was the 9 jurors’ intent that each plaintiffs Vanessa Bryant and Christopher Chester to be awarded equally,” U.S. District Decide John F. Walter famous in court docket Friday.
Bryant has agreed to this alteration. Her lawyer, Luis Li, mentioned in court docket Friday that Bryant felt it was a “simply” outcome” that she bought the identical quantity as Chester. Each had introduced their circumstances to trial after submitting lawsuits in opposition to the county a number of months after they every misplaced spouses and daughters in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
VANESSA BRYANT VERDICT:What it means and the way she gained the trial
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Their lawsuits weren’t concerning the crash itself however about what occurred afterward. They accused county sheriff’s and hearth division staff of sharing and displaying ugly images of their deceased family members’ stays from the crash scene with out having a respectable enterprise purpose to take action.
After an 11-day trial, the jury discovered this to be a violation of their constitutional rights. However after the decision was learn in court docket, one of many jurors suggested the courtroom deputy that there was an error within the verdict type pertaining to Bryant.
In a jury word, the juror acknowledged that Bryant must be awarded $1.5 million by the sheriff’s division for previous emotional misery, not $2.5 million. The jury additionally awarded her $13.5 million in different damages for emotional misery. The change within the jury award means every is to be awarded $15 million.
Requested concerning the change in jury award Friday, Li responded with a press release.
“All through this case, Mrs. Bryant has sought solely accountability,” Li mentioned. “She has by no means requested for a selected greenback quantity and has trusted the jury to do justice.”
Walter mentioned it was pointless to recall the jury in gentle of Bryant’s settlement to just accept $1 million much less in emotional stress damages in opposition to the sheriff’s division.
Li mentioned Bryant intends for her award to go to the Mamba and Mambacita basis to honor Kobe and Gianna’s legacy.
“From the start, Vanessa Bryant has sought solely accountability, however our authorized system doesn’t allow her to pressure higher insurance policies, extra coaching or officer self-discipline,” Li mentioned in a press release Thursday. “These measures are the duty of the Sheriff’s and Fireplace Departments – tasks that Mrs. Bryant’s efforts have uncovered as woefully poor, even giving amnesty to the wrongdoers.”
The county famous the images had been by no means posted on-line and had been deleted shortly after the crash.
Li mentioned it’s Bryant’s hope that “this essential civil rights case will put to a cease this abhorrent and callous conduct.”
Comply with reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. E-mail: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
