Teresa to Testify UPDATE 4 Law Upheld/Teresa Testify’s: Dale Earnhardt’s widow, Teresa, is expected to testify Monday, June 11th at a much-anticipated hearing June 11 to decide whether Dale Earnhardt’s autopsy photos should be open to public inspection. Teresa, in February won an injunction closing the photos and subsequently won passage of a state law to close all such photos. Teresa Earnhardt has maintained that she sought the injunction to protect her privacy and that of her family(FSN’s Totally NASCAR)(6-7-2001) UPDATE: It’s looking more and more like NASCAR president Mike Helton will not be taking the witness stand in Monday’s hearing to decide whether Dale Earnhardts autopsy photos should be open to public inspection. An attorney involved says processors have tried for 10 days to serve the Helton with a subpoena and haven’t been able to track him down(CNN/SI) and story on Teresa at the Daytona Beach Journal(6-9-2001) UPDATE 2: A judge upheld a new Florida law on Monday that was crafted to seal autopsy photos of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, rejecting arguments that it unfairly prevented access to public information. Circuit Judge Joseph Will said the law was “valid and constitutional” in upholding the law passed by the Florida Legislature in March making it a felony to release autopsy photos without a judge’s permission. Previously, such photos had been public record. Earnhardt’s widow, Teresa, had no visible reaction when the decision was read, but she did whisper “Thank you” to her attorneys. On Tuesday, the judge will hear testimony aimed at reversing his order sealing the photos issued four days after the racer’s death. Teresa Earnhardt had sought the order, saying her family’s privacy would be violated if the photos were released. She was expected to testify Tuesday. The new law not only forbids copying of autopsy photos and records, but also prevents inspecting the records.(more at That’s Racin’/AP and the Orlando Sentinel)(6-11-2001) UPDATE 3: Dale Earnhardt’s widow testified Tuesday that she has tried to stop the public release of her husband’s autopsy photos to spare her family “painful emotional distress. The photographs are humiliating, disgusting and negative,” Teresa Earnhardt said. “That could be nothing but harmful and painful to anyone involved with my family, my company, our fans, anyone.” Appearing slightly irritated under questioning from opposing lawyers, Earnhardt said she filed a lawsuit blocking the release of the photos to spare her family from “humiliation and harm.” She said NASCAR didn’t influence her decision. She also said the decision had nothing to do with her interest in protecting her company, Dale Earnhardt Inc., and Earnhardt’s image as a revenue source. “I don’t think it has anything to do with sales. I think it has to do with personal feelings and privacy,” Earnhardt said. “It would affect our state of minds because we would be personally harmed.”(more at That’s Racin’/AP)(6-12-2001) UPDATE: see columns at the Dyatona Beach News Journal and at the Orlando Sentinel(6-13-2001) (6-12-2001)
