Photographs of a deceased Kobe Bryant that were quick to leak after an S-76 Sikorsky helicopter crashed into the hills of Calabasas on Sunday, Jan. 26. The outrage that stemmed from the improper photographing of Bryant to identify him and the eight other victims in the aircraft, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, has borne cause for new legislation.
California Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D-Carson) is hoping to make it a crime for officers to take unauthorized photos of those killed in accidents and crimes, according to Patrick McGreevy of The Los Angeles Times.
Gipson introduced legislation that would make it a misdemeanor with a punishment of up to a year in jail and as far as $5,000 in fines for first responders that photograph a deceased person for any purpose besides official law enforcement business.
“Our first responders, when responding to an emergency, should not be taking very sensitive photographs … for their own gain, for their own pleasure,” Gipson said Tuesday. “It was unconscionable. It’s not right.”
While news of Bryant's death was quick to trickle down soon after the crash, a huge reason why information came so quickly was these leaked photographs that indeed confirmed the Los Angeles Lakers icon had indeed been a victim of the crash. His daughter Gianna was later found to be one of the nine aboard. Nevertheless, with it being Kobe Bryant it resulted in false news stories as outlets tried to traffic in death.
Assembly Bill 2655 would ban acts that violate the privacy of deceased victims and be enforced to all first responders who do so, including law enforcement officers, paramedics, dispatchers, firefighters, and medical examiners.
A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy allegedly showed bar patrons a few gruesome photos from the crash site — an action that resulted in a citizen complaint to the police department. He was since asked to delete the images.
Under this new bill, any first respondent would be rendered unable to take those sensitive photographs unless authorized and supervised by a superior.
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