Kobe Bryant law signed banning first responders from taking death pics after scandal from graphic crash scene photos
A NEW law makes it illegal for first responders to take unauthorized photos of a dead person at an accident following Kobe Bryant’s death.
The “Kobe Bryant Law,” signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, will take effect on January 1, according to TMZ.
The legislation was prompted by the death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant who died in a helicopter crash this January alongside his daughter, Gianna, and seven others.
Sheriff’s deputies allegedly took cell phone pictures of the helicopter disaster victims including Gianna, 13, and the legendary basketball player, 41.
A lawsuit led by wife and mother Vanessa Bryant reads that eight deputies used personal cell phones to take photos of the victims.
“The deputies took these photos for their own personal gratification,” the suit reads.
The lawsuit also claims that the photos had become the subject of discussions at the office with officers showing colleagues the graphic images.
It is claimed the photos shown to colleagues had no investigative purposes.
A deputy trying to impress a woman at a bar also showed the pictures, according to the lawsuit.
In Vanessa’s lawsuit, she claims Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva attempted to cover up the misconduct by going to the department substation that responded to the crash and told deputies they’d get off scot-free if they deleted the photos.
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The bill that Newsom signed makes it a misdemeanor for a first responder to take or share pictures from a crash, accident, or crime scene for any purpose outside official law enforcement or genuine public interest.
If found guilty of the crime, someone may be fined up to $1,000 per violation.
Assemblymember Mike Gipson introduced the bill earlier this year and called it the “Kobe Bryant Act of 2020” in a tweet celebrating the signing.