CA - Nikki Catsouras, death photos leaked

[2sisters]

Does anyone have any links to sites where you can find out more of who she was and not jsut this accident that defined her? it would be nice to hear about the type of person she was rather that what happened that day.

 

[dbmthur]

I remember getting an email with her accident pictures in them...something about promoting safe driving and saying to forward it to all those whom you care about. I can't even remember for sure who I got it from. But I can say that I didn't forward it because I was completely shocked at what I saw and had no warning about the images I was going to be seeing. I was not about to forward anything like that and was appalled that someone had sent them to me in the first place. I deleted the email. I had actually forgotten about it until today. Now I have a name to go with the images I saw. Such a sad thing ...how horrible that her parents have had to deal with seeing these images on the computer let alone having to deal with such seriously messed up individuals that would email or send these pictures to them. I would not want to see any pictures of my child like that. I think the grief from seeing such pictures of one of my children would be too much to bare. I mean, how much can one take and why would someone torchure those parents like this...and the sister! It just amazes me how many heartless people we have in this world, that can think nothing of a human life.

 

[Bobbisangel]

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/Story?id=3872556&page=2

After an internal investigation, the California Highway Patrol identified two dispatchers, Thomas O'Donnell and Aaron Reich as being responsible for the leaked images. Citing "pending litigation," the highway patrol has yet to comment on the case, but it sent a letter to the family admitting the mistake.

They sent a letter admitting the MISTAKE????? That was no mistake. I hope those two people lost their jobs over this. Look what has come of their MISTAKE! It's just horrible.

 

[golfmom]

They sent a letter admitting the MISTAKE????? That was no mistake. I hope those two people lost their jobs over this. Look what has come of their MISTAKE! It's just horrible.

It actually gets worse Bobbis, they're not apologizing but justifying their actions.

Reich and co-defendant Thomas O'Donnell, who reportedly still works as a CHP dispatcher, cite in court papers their First Amendment rights to free speech in being responsible for the worldwide distribution of the photos through cyberspace.

Nikki's right to privacy also ended with her death, said Schlueter, citing case law.

O'Donnell has admitted to e-mailing the photos to his home computer, but said in court papers that he had the right to do so within the scope of his employment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22223439/

 

[paddy01]

I regret the fact that I looked at the pictures last night. Death is a private matter, imo, and I feel guilty for my curiosity.

Nikki paid the ultimate price for her impulsive actions. I hope her parents and sisters are somehow able to find some peace.

Me too, curiosity got the better of me. Really had a bad night, feel terrible.

 

[angelmom]

It actually gets worse Bobbis, they're not apologizing but justifying their actions.

Reich and co-defendant Thomas O'Donnell, who reportedly still works as a CHP dispatcher, cite in court papers their First Amendment rights to free speech in being responsible for the worldwide distribution of the photos through cyberspace.

Nikki's right to privacy also ended with her death, said Schlueter, citing case law.

O'Donnell has admitted to e-mailing the photos to his home computer, but said in court papers that he had the right to do so within the scope of his employment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22223439/

So according to this logic, he could send details about any case he works to his home computer. And as long as the person is dead, he can spew it out all over the internet without regard for their dignity or personal privacy???

I can see how he MIGHT make the legal argument, but I would be stunned if that didn't violate some regulation of the CHP. How did he not lose his job over this???

 

[reportertype]

I can't believe people have been taunting the family with these photos. To email these to family, wouldn't some of the people have to actually expend some effort to find the proper address, attach them send? That is just horrible and I can't believe those people are dumb enough to believe it's going to hurt Nikki in any way. She is beyond that, but her remaining family isn't.

Incredibly vindictive.

 

[philamena]

...


I didn't see the photos; however, I can well imagine what they look like. When I was young, I knew a few teens who did foolish things and either hurt others or killed themselves. I myself was a passenger in a couple of accidents where the cars were totaled. I had minor injuries in both accidents.

Nan,
I am glad you survived the accidents with only minor injuries.

 

[Hope4Lost]

The cruelty this family had to endure is unfathomable. Those responsible will eventually have their actions come back to haunt them.

And for those contemplating whether or not to look at the photos. They really are bad. They stay with you. It's been a couple of weeks since I saw them and venturing into this thread brings them back into my mind. It makes me so sad that this child made such a poor decision and that it came to such a tragic end. Kids think they are made of steel. I remember feeling that way.

 

[AutumnBorn]

The internet has sprouted a whole new group of evil people. I've seen these photos. They are truly horrific.

 

[shelly]

I agree, the photos are horrific. I can't imagine someone being so heartless as to send these pictures to the family.

Back when I was in driver's ed in high school, some xx years ago, we were forced to watch videos of the aftermath of car accidents, which included some rather gory scenes. It was supposed to scare us into being safe drivers although I'm not sure that it worked because several folks I was in high school were involved in horrible car accidents. Was anyone else subjected to this in high school?

 

[LisainWV]

Why is this such an issue now?

I remember seeing these photos months ago on a car forum.

Yeah, they are bad, but they've been around for quite a while.

 

[golfmom]

Why is this such an issue now?

I remember seeing these photos months ago on a car forum.

Yeah, they are bad, but they've been around for quite a while.

Because of the harm they are doing to her loved ones.

 

[Elphaba]

All of it is appalling... but what I find as one of the cruelest cuts put on the family in regards of her death shots being leaked, was how the parents were lured into viewing those images: some jerk made a memorial type video of her... all sentimental and sweet... as the memorial video flipped through pictures of the girl from when she was alive, they quickly moved into the LE shots of her cleaved decapitation. I may be wrong, but supposedly there was a fake memorial account made on MySpace that was all about drawing people in to see the memorial, and then exposing her death images for shock value.

Decorum and respect... where has it gone? Her family does not deserve the cruelty of this.

 

[JBean]

Why is this such an issue now?

I remember seeing these photos months ago on a car forum.

Yeah, they are bad, but they've been around for quite a while.

Because there is an important court date coming up regarding their civil lawsuit against the CHP 2 employees that leaked the photos. Depending on how that goes, it will impact their ability to successfully sue the CHP as well.
PLus this story has just recently gotten national attention.

Interest in toll road accident photo case rockets after TV show

LADERA RANCH – Messages of support and outrage continue to flood a family taunted by images of their dead daughter on the Internet, as a key court date nears for two California Highway Patrol employees blamed for the leak.
The saga of Nicole Elise "Nikki" Catsouras, 18, decapitated in a car crash on Halloween 2006, was featured in a segment of ABC News' "20/20" on Friday, generating hundreds of e-mails and phone message to her family and attorneys.
Now, CNN's Nancy Grace is calling.
"Everything's off the charts,'' Nikki's father, Christos, said.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/family-nikki-photos-1940703-chp-reich

 

[ceeaura]

I agree, the photos are horrific. I can't imagine someone being so heartless as to send these pictures to the family.

Back when I was in driver's ed in high school, some xx years ago, we were forced to watch videos of the aftermath of car accidents, which included some rather gory scenes. It was supposed to scare us into being safe drivers although I'm not sure that it worked because several folks I was in high school were involved in horrible car accidents. Was anyone else subjected to this in high school?

When I was in high school we saw those videos.Except for us it was for the whole school, showing the dangers of drinking and driving.Usually a young adult who was disfigured because they were drinking and driving so they would be there telling there story along with a victims loved one and a State trooper.Then the slide show would start.

I remember people getting sick and running out of the gym during the slide show.Didn't slow down a lot of the kids at my school at all.
I am a look before ya leap kinda gal and was the same in high school.Its just amazing how teenagers (and some adults) thinks it could never happen to me

 

[LisainWV]

Because there is an important court date coming up regarding their civil lawsuit against the CHP 2 employees that leaked the photos. Depending on how that goes, it will impact their ability to successfully sue the CHP as well.
PLus this story has just recently gotten national attention.

Interest in toll road accident photo case rockets after TV show

LADERA RANCH – Messages of support and outrage continue to flood a family taunted by images of their dead daughter on the Internet, as a key court date nears for two California Highway Patrol employees blamed for the leak.
The saga of Nicole Elise "Nikki" Catsouras, 18, decapitated in a car crash on Halloween 2006, was featured in a segment of ABC News' "20/20" on Friday, generating hundreds of e-mails and phone message to her family and attorneys.
Now, CNN's Nancy Grace is calling.
"Everything's off the charts,'' Nikki's father, Christos, said.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/family-nikki-photos-1940703-chp-reich

Gotcha, JBean. I missed the part about the lawsuit. And, I realize the photos would be horrible for the family, I just couldn't figure out the timing.

 

[T-Rex]

Regarding the highway cops' right to disseminate these photos: If I worked at Macy's, and Michael Jackson shopped there, I guess the first amendment would give me the right to post his credit card slip. Doesn't mean Macy's wouldn't fire me; they would and should. Likewise, CHP would and should fire these cops.

 

[golfmom]

Regarding the highway cops' right to disseminate these photos: If I worked at Macy's, and Michael Jackson shopped there, I guess the first amendment would give me the right to post his credit card slip. Doesn't mean Macy's wouldn't fire me; they would and should. Likewise, CHP would and should fire these cops.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[MagicRose99]

Regarding the highway cops' right to disseminate these photos: If I worked at Macy's, and Michael Jackson shopped there, I guess the first amendment would give me the right to post his credit card slip. Doesn't mean Macy's wouldn't fire me; they would and should. Likewise, CHP would and should fire these cops.

I beg to differ... when these people hired on with CHP they signed a confidentiality agreement. In signing this document, they agreed that anything they learn during their job duties belong to CHP and the State of CA and distributing and/or selling that info is against the law and they can be fired and/or prosecuted for doing so. Many state agencies (CHP included) deal with confidential information. Every employee signs one upon hiring- including CHP employees.

They blatently broke this agreement and should be fired. The family has every right to sue them even if the State doesn't.