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Committee clears bill to prohibit sharing autopsy photos outside criminal case disclosures
Summary
First substitute to SB 82 would make it unlawful to share autopsy photos beyond the scope allowed in criminal cases; sponsor said the change responds to a prosecutor’s experience where autopsy imagery later circulated beyond the case and was used to market expert services to the distress of a victim’s family.
Senator Pitcher told the committee the bill responds to a prosecutor’s troubling experience in which autopsy photographs disclosed to defense counsel later appeared outside the case in a consultant’s marketing materials, causing distress to the victim’s family.
Nut graf: The first substitute aligns autopsy‑photo handling with other statutory protections for sensitive materials in criminal proceedings, such as certain child forensic interview materials, and would bar distribution of autopsy photos beyond permitted uses in a criminal case.
Pitcher described the case where autopsy photos provided in discovery were later used by an expert who was not ultimately retained; she said the subsequent circulation was “incredibly, insensitive to the family of this victim.” The bill’s language would make unlawful the dissemination of autopsy photos beyond the limited, case‑related uses authorized in criminal process and align penalties with existing statutes that protect certain sensitive investigative materials.
The committee passed the first substitute and moved SB 82 favorably to the floor by voice vote.
Ending: The bill now goes to the House floor for further consideration.
