A lawsuit has been filed by Vanessa Bryant against the County of Los Angeles, Sheriff's Department, and Alex Villanueva due to the violation of her and her family's constitutional rights. The case stems from the dissemination of unauthorized photos of Kobe and Gianna Bryant's remains by several LA County Sheriff's deputies at the helicopter crash site. Vanessa Bryant seeks damages for the severe emotional distress caused by the misconduct of the department's officials. The lawsuit alleges a cover-up by Sheriff Villanueva to avoid investigation into the deputies' misconduct. The Sheriff's Department is accused of inadequate training and discipline, negligence, and invasion of privacy. Additionally, another lawsuit alleges that members of the Sheriff's Department invaded Vanessa Bryant's privacy by taking and sharing photos of her loved ones' remains without any justifiable law-enforcement purpose. The suit seeks compensatory, nominal, and punitive damages along with attorney fees and costs. The Department has launched an investigation surrounding the policies and procedures regarding photographs and recordings at scenes where human remains are present. Moreover, the law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP along with Robb & Robb LLC have requested immediate action from the Sheriff's Department on reports of graphic photographs of the victims' remains being shared by sheriff deputies in settings unrelated to the investigation of the crash. The firm seeks to have the department secure and provide any photos and videos related to the crash, conduct an investigation, and inform them of any disciplinary actions taken against personnel involved. They also state their intention to hold the Sheriff's Department accountable for any harm caused to the families of the victims. Furthermore, the plaintiffs seek information on personnel from the Sheriff's Department who shared photos of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash scene in January 2020. The request includes information on identification, disciplinary action, and any and all complaints related to the incident. The Department has denied disclosure citing exemptions under the California Public Records Act and Government Code due to an ongoing and active internal investigation.