Statement from Teresa Earnhardt March 18, 2001
The following statement was issued by Teressa Earnhardt:
"I am pleased with the agreement reached Friday. It achieves all I set
out to do to protect my family. First and foremost, it seals the autopsy
images permanently. No one will ever be able to gain access to them.
Secondly, no one, not the Orlando Sentinel, nor anyone else will be allowed to
see these photographs either personally or through any so called expert.
Thirdly, the court will select its own independent biomechanical doctor to
look at the images, limiting the review to 30 minutes so that just three
questions can be answered. It is important that the pictures will never be
released and will only be looked at under the direct authority of the court.
Once that is done, the images will be sealed forever.
I want to thank everyone who has supported us in our fight for our
family's privacy. We are thankful the mediation worked for us. In spite of
our success in the court-ordered mediation, I would like to say that other
than the death of my husband, this has been the most horrifying and absolutely
unnecessary experience of my life. We have been so caught up with these
attacks in the courts that we have not had a moment to grieve for Dale or find
comfort in our own family. It is impossible to imagine what we have gone
through.
I want to urge everyone to help stop the kind of pain we have experienced
from happening to others in the future. The Florida legislature is now
considering a bill that will prevent access to autopsy photos. I pray that
the legislature moves quickly to enact this law, and hope that those of you
who support it, will speak up now in its favor.
It is of vital importance that we protect the rights of anyone who has
suffered as we have, and hope that the agreement we reached Friday sends a
clear message to the legislature in Florida, and other states considering such
legislation about a family's right to privacy in America. Thank you."
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