The family of Ara Zobayan is begging a judge to move Vanessa Bryant’s wrongful death case out of L.A. because Kobe Bryant is so popular there, it would be impossible to get a fair trial. Ara’s family spelled it out in new court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports … saying the trial would begin with “two strikes” already against him “due to the extreme level of popularity of plaintiff with the jury pool.” As we previously reported, Vanessa sued Zobayan along with Island Express Helicopters saying they should be held financially responsible for the crash that killed Kobe, Gianna and 6 other passengers.
Tag: Ara Zobayan
“The notoriety and popularity of the …
“The notoriety and popularity of the late Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles County is detailed herein and reached a level that left no person in the county unaware of his role in branding Los Angeles as his city,” Zobayan’s family says in new court docs. “No other single individual in recent memory, sports figure or otherwise, has been considered by the people to be such a personification of their city of Los Angeles. ” “But with that unprecedented level of acclaim comes a lack of impartiality and objectivity by potential jurors about the merits under the law of the claims asserted in this lawsuit by the Bryant family.”
Kobe Bryant’s helicopter pilot may have been disoriented at time of crash
The pilot of the helicopter that crashed in thick fog, killing Kobe Bryant and seven other passengers, reported he was climbing when he actually was descending, federal investigators said in documents released Wednesday. Ara Zobayan radioed to air traffic controllers that he was climbing to 4,000 feet to get above clouds on Jan. 26 when, in fact, the helicopter was plunging toward a hillside where it crashed northwest of Los Angeles.
The report by the National …
The report by the National Transportation Safety Board said Zobayan may have “misperceived” the angles at which he was descending and banking, which can happen when a pilot becomes disoriented in low visibility. “Calculated apparent angles at this time show that the pilot could have misperceived both pitch and roll angles,” one report stated. “During the final descent the pilot, responding to (air traffic control), stated that they were climbing to four thousand.”
Experts said shortly after the crash …
Experts said shortly after the crash that the path of the flight indicated Zobayan was disoriented. The 1,700 pages of reports do not offer a conclusion of what caused the crash but compile factual reports. A final report on the cause is due later.
Autopsy reports were released Friday by …
Autopsy reports were released Friday by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. The causes of death for Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, pilot Ara Zobayan and the others have been ruled blunt trauma.
The complaint in Los Angeles County …
The complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Island Express Helicopters and Island Express Holding Corp. alleged that pilot Ara Zobayan, who also died in the crash in Calabasas, failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft” and was “negligent.” “Defendant Island Express Helicopters’ breach of its duty and negligence caused the injuries and damages complained of herein and Plaintiffs’ deceased, Kobe Bryant, was killed as a direct result of the negligent conduct of Zobayan for which Defendant Island Express Helicopters is vicariously liable in all respects,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit accuses Zobayan, Bryant’s …
The lawsuit accuses Zobayan, Bryant’s longtime pilot, of several acts of negligence including failing to abort the flight, failing to monitor and assess the weather, and failure to keep a safe distance between natural obstacles and the helicopter. “On information and belief, Defendant Island Express Helicopters employed Defendant Zobayan with conscious disregard of the rights or safety of others and authorized or ratified his wrong conduct, and itself engaged in conduct with malice, oppression, or fraud,” the complaint said.
Kawhi Leonard unsure if he will use helicopter again, says he flew with Kobe’s pilot in past
Kawhi Leonard is one of the many NBA superstars still coming to grips with the fatal helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard is one of the many NBA superstars still coming to grips with the fatal helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard unsure if he will use helicopter again, says he flew with Kobe’s pilot in past (Hoopsh
Kawhi Leonard is one of the many NBA superstars still coming to grips with the fatal helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard is one of the many NBA superstars still coming to grips with the fatal helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others Sunday.