Man May Have Earnhardt Autopsy Pics

D A Y T O N A  B E A C H, Fla., March 8 -- Lawyers battling over whether DaleEarnhardt's autopsy photos are public record were told by a judgethat an Oak Hill man may have copies of some of the pictures.

Circuit Judge Joseph Will said in a letter Wednesday to lawyersfor both Teresa Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt's widow, and The OrlandoSentinel that his office received an anonymous phone call fromsomeone claiming that Timothy Campbell had some of the photos inhis house.

The caller said Campbell planned to distribute the photographs,Will's letter noted. The judge ordered police to Campbell's home,located roughly 27 miles south of Daytona Beach.

Medical Examiner: Photo Could Be Fake

Campbell told Volusia County Sheriff's deputies that he had onephoto but kept it for sentimental reasons and never intended tomake it public. Police did not take the photo from the home,Campbell said.

Campbell said he obtained the photo from a friend who got itfrom an unidentified worker at the Volusia County MedicalExaminer's Office. Campbell may be charged with a crime if thephoto was stolen from the office, Sheriff's detective Steve Whitesaid.

Medical examiner Thomas Beaver said the photo might be a fake,saying that the actual autopsy photographs were taken with adigital camera, saved on a compact disk and sealed in a vault.

Newspaper Doesn’t Want Campbell Photo

Sentinel attorney David Bralow told Will that his clientcontacted Campbell but stressed that the newspaper "would refrain … from looking at this autopsy photograph, and we're as good asour word."

Dale Earnhardt died in a crash Feb. 18 at the Daytona 500.Teresa Earnhardt sued Volusia County four days later to stoprelease of the medical examiner's photos. The next day, a Sentinelreporter made a public-records request for the pictures.

Will agreed Wednesday to delay a hearing on the photo requestsuntil March 19. Legislation aimed at exempting autopsy photos andvideos from Florida's public records law is scheduled to be heardon the state House floor the same week.