Vanessa Bryant & Relatives Of Helicopter Crash Victims Reach Settlement In Lawsuit

BY Erika Marie 4.5K Views
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Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant, Settlement
They filed a suit against Island Express Helicopters as well as the pilot.

There will certainly be more shared about this story in the coming days, but it's being reported that a settlement has been reached in the helicopter case that involved Kobe Bryant, his teen daughter Gianna, and seven others. In January 2020, nine people lost their lives after the helicopter tragically crashed in California, and later, a lawsuit was launched by Vanessa Bryant and several others representing the deceased.

According to Los Angeles's ABC7 News, a confidential agreement was reached "with the company that operated the helicopter involved in the crash," Island Express Helicopters. Pilot Ara Zobayan was also named in the wrongful death suit as a defendant.

Handout / Getty Images 

On Tuesday (June 22), it's reported that all parties filed court papers showing a "joint notice of settlement and joint request to vacate discovery deadlines." The reported documents read: "Plaintiffs and Defendants jointly report that they have agreed to settle their claims in the above-entitled action." The settlement amount was not included in the papers and a court still reportedly needs to give the final approval before this case is officially completed.

For Father's Day, Vanessa shared a loving family photo with a sweet message to her late husband. "To the best girl dad~ Happy Father’s Day, Papi. We love you forever and always, always and forever. Love you always, Nani, Gigi, B.B, Koko, and VB."

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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