2009.02.20 Do you think Autopsy Photos should be released? REVISITED

[Celt1997]

Honestly, I think a coroner's report would suffice. The JBR photos showed people what could easily have been read. I really don't think anything could be gleaned from the autopsy photos of Caylee, especially since they didn't yield any obvious COD.

 

[sweetmop]

This is just me talking...did not follow the JBR case closely, so I did not become emotionally involved.

If it were my child, I would not want them released.

Of course not... me either. That would be too hurtful. But I think the mom who murders her child should have to see the end results of her horrible crime.

 

[Indigo]

Does anyone know if this is something that will be released? I would like to get a better visual understanding of the duct tape on the mouth and the hair.

Do you think they should be released? JBR's photos were very helpful, but of course there was much more to see on those pictures relative to her case.

Do you think the photos should be released if they are available?

Hi, JBean. I don't know if you read this in the reports, but it gives another possible clue--I know it's not much:

"the tape was affixed to the skull in such a manner that the mandible was still adjacent to the skull."

p. 3378

 

[ishouldbworking]

Do you think it will be televised?

i am almost certain.

 

[nittany90]

i am almost certain.

I'm pretty sure the trial will be televised, too. But, I think they will not show any autopsy photos to the tv audience.

I'm mixed on the opinion of whether or not the photos should be released to the general public. I'm afraid to say, that if they were, I would look at them. I wouldn't want to, but I would.....KWIM? I'm sorry if any one finds that offensive. I don't mean to be insensitive or disrespectful to Caylee's memory, but I can't keep myself from straining my neck to get a look at an accident scene, either. Sad, I know. :iamashamed0005:

So, if they were not released, I wouldn't have the option of looking.

Add that to Dr. G's comment that there were no "obvious" signs of trauma, I'm not sure we'd learn anything from them anyway.

 

[JBean]

Hi, JBean. I don't know if you read this in the reports, but it gives another possible clue--I know it's not much:

"the tape was affixed to the skull in such a manner that the mandible was still adjacent to the skull."

p. 3378

Thank you Indigo! I did read that and I think that was what got me wondering. I am a visual person and it just got me thinking.

 

[Insomnia Momma]

JBean -

Florida has the "Earnhart Law" None of the autopsy photos will be released due to this law.

I hope this helps!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/02/09/smith.pictures/index.html

an article about the law

 

[2goldfish]

Do you think the JBR photos were ok to have been released? or without a full body there is no point? or is it always wrong?

I can see the merits of releasing. I did see JBRs. I wish I had not. it helped me to understand things I couldnt picture well but still I would rather not have seen. her tiny little hand

I dont want to see caylee's. even though I know it is only some tiny little bones

but I wouldnt go so far as to say whether it is "right" or "wrong" to release the photos.

 

[cloud9]

Well, I'll look at the photos if they come out. Currently, I've been going CRAZY for weeks trying to locate Melinda Duckett's autopsy report. Sorry for the off topic, but I didn't know if I should post a thread for it. I've looked EVERYWHERE! Crime Library/TruTV no longer has it anywhere. Shadow has it (I think), but I can't find it there either.

 

[nittany90]

JBean -

Florida has the "Earnhart Law" None of the autopsy photos will be released due to this law.

I hope this helps!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/02/09/smith.pictures/index.html

an article about the law

Playing devil's advocate for the media, note that toward the end of the article in the link, it says:
"Kaney said state courts have ruled that the media can have access to photographs that are used in a court case, because "the First Amendment does not allow secret evidence."

He said law specifies photographs that are held by a medical examiner, so it is unclear whether an unauthorized picture taken in an autopsy room would be covered."

Would this be a way around the Earnhardt Law???

 

[karenmamo]

Does anyone know if this is something that will be released? I would like to get a better visual understanding of the duct tape on the mouth and the hair.

Do you think they should be released? JBR's photos were very helpful, but of course there was much more to see on those pictures relative to her case.

Do you think the photos should be released if they are available?

Maybe someone would just do a sketch of how that duct tape looked??raying

 

[elementary]

I just looked at the JBR photos out of curiosity. Why? Because they're there.

I draw the line at photos like this being made public. What is the point? Those poor children don't even have dignity in death. There is no need to see them. At best, we are amateurs with sleuthing as a hobby, so we have no right to something that is so personal. The photos are taken for the sake of justice, and only those involved in bringing justice for the victim should have the privilege of seeing them. Honestly, what happened to human decency and dignity for the dead? Is nothing sacred?

 

[justbeachy]

I just looked at the JBR photos out of curiosity. Why? Because they're there.

I draw the line at photos like this being made public. What is the point? Those poor children don't even have dignity in death. There is no need to see them. At best, we are amateurs with sleuthing as a hobby, so we have no right to something that is so personal. The photos are taken for the sake of justice, and only those involved in bringing justice for the victim should have the privilege of seeing them. Honestly, what happened to human decency and dignity for the dead? Is nothing sacred?

At the risk of going OT, I opened the link to the JBR photos in another tab but haven't gotten the courage to look at them. Are they graphic or just horribly sad (or both)? This makes me think that if Caylee's photos were released, I probably wouldn't be able to look at them. I'm much too close to this case. Of course, JBR's photos are of a little girl (presumably, since I haven't looked) and Caylee's would be of bones. I wonder if that would make a difference to me, emotionally? The duct tape around the skull, though...that's so sad. And little tufts of hair... Now that I think about it, even "just bones" would break my heart. It's still a little girl.

I'm just babbling now...obviously I've had too much diet coke today....

 

[pirate]

Thank God for the Dale Earnhart laws. I don't think anyone should ever see these.

 

[elementary]

At the risk of going OT, I opened the link to the JBR photos in another tab but haven't gotten the courage to look at them. Are they graphic or just horribly sad (or both)? This makes me think that if Caylee's photos were released, I probably wouldn't be able to look at them. I'm much too close to this case. Of course, JBR's photos are of a little girl (presumably, since I haven't looked) and Caylee's would be of bones. I wonder if that would make a difference to me, emotionally? The duct tape around the skull, though...that's so sad. And little tufts of hair... Now that I think about it, even "just bones" would break my heart. It's still a little girl.

I'm just babbling now...obviously I've had too much diet coke today....

You don't need to see them. The photos do show how brutal the strangling was. It satisfied my curiosity but that is all. There's also a pic of her cracked skull, only the bloody skull after they peeled off all tissue at the autopsy. This is not about us, and what we want and need, IMO. It is not about satisfying our curiosity. It's about justice, and we are not the vehicles for hands on justice where the victim is concerned, only the law and judge and jury.

 

[Pollywog]

No I hope they are not released. That is private and should be kept that way IMO.

 

[sarah7855]

At the risk of going OT, I opened the link to the JBR photos in another tab but haven't gotten the courage to look at them. Are they graphic or just horribly sad (or both)? This makes me think that if Caylee's photos were released, I probably wouldn't be able to look at them. I'm much too close to this case. Of course, JBR's photos are of a little girl (presumably, since I haven't looked) and Caylee's would be of bones. I wonder if that would make a difference to me, emotionally? The duct tape around the skull, though...that's so sad. And little tufts of hair... Now that I think about it, even "just bones" would break my heart. It's still a little girl.

I'm just babbling now...obviously I've had too much diet coke today....

I took the leap and looked at JBR's too. I am just that way, I can't NOT look at something like that. Again, I'm just curious about all aspects of a case, no matter how graphic or sad, so please don't anyone bash me. It's along the same lines of what you prepare yourself to possibly find when you go out to search for a missing person. My feelings would be the same with photos from Caylee's examination, I know I'd look. As for JBR, there are about 5 pics, IIRC, and a couple are pretty graphic. Like you said, they are of a little girl and not bones, and there is a difference there.

 

[LaLaw2000]

I would rather the autopsy photos not be released at all. Hopefully, the SA's office will keep them for trial and the jury.

I would want Caylee to have the dignity of not having people look at her bare bones. Now this is just me.

I also am sorry that strangers got to look at JonBenet's little body.

 

[Macushla]

My understanding of the Earnhardt law is that autopsy photos can NOT be published, ever. 10 years down the road if Dr. Henry Lee wants to lecture about this case, he would not be allowed to use the photos. In fact, I believe that charges can be filed against anyone or any media organization that does get their hands on and publishes them, but I am not 100% sure about charges.

the Law is very specific, and it is followed to the letter here in FL - No publication of autopsy photos allowed. I don't know of any media outlet that has even thought about trying to get around the law. I approve of it too!

 

[Leve]

I don't know how I feel about this issue. I'd probably look at the crime scene photos before Caylee was removed from the "dump site" - that to me would be helpful.

As far as the A's go; Darlie released those horrid pictures of her baby boys on her own website!!! I don't guess that family minded.