Vanessa Bryant will undergo a physician-ran mental test to determine if she is suffering from the Kobe crash site photos being posted.
County attorneys are asking the widow of the late Lakers star to have a psychiatric assessment. If necessary, they can force her to do so by way of a judge's decision.
USA Today obtained court documents that show the County's reasoning. Vanessa and her co. claim they have suffered emotional distress from the photos of the crash site being circulated among L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, and others.
How can we be sure that their constant agony is not due to the deaths or crashes of their loved ones? This is the County's position, and they want to get to the bottom.
According to the County's legal filing, it states that Plaintiffs refused to undergo independent medical examinations (IMEs) despite being placed front and center in this case.
They also add... "The County brings the motion to compel IMEs from the Plaintiffs. These are necessary to assess the existence, extent, and nature of Plaintiffs' alleged emotional injuries. Plaintiffs cannot claim they suffer from severe depression, anxiety, and persistent depression and then refuse to support their claims.
Vanessa's legal team retorted, saying that this was nothing but a "scorched Earth" approach and one at that. The County is going too far in its discovery process and going to great lengths to defend her attorney's indefensible conduct.
L.A. County notes that the photos, which apparently showed the remains of some bodies that day, were only shared with County employees and a bartender. They were never published.
