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Saturday, June 03, 2006
Ind. Courts - "Behrman autopsy details may be released"
Re the continuing efforts of several Indiana papers to obtain the sealed autopsy report on Jill Behrman's death, the Indianapolis Star posted this story by John Tuohy yesterday afternoon:
The prosecutor overseeing the Jill Behrman murder case said today he might reveal what killed the 19-year-old Indiana University student.For background, see this March 10th ILB entry.
The cause and manner of Behrman’s death and other information in the autopsy have been sealed since December 2003 by order of Morgan Superior Court Judge G. Thomas Gray.
At the time, he agreed with prosecutors that disclosing the information before an arrest was made could hurt the investigation.In April, a Morgan County grand jury indicted John R. Myers II, 30, on a murder charge in Behrman’s death. The Bloomington Herald-Times and The Indianapolis Star then made freedom of information requests, contending the autopsy should be unsealed.
Gray has scheduled a hearing on the Herald-Times’ request for 9 a.m. Thursday.
Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega said he might decide to release the cause and manner of death if other details about the slaying — things only the killer would know — could be kept secret. But he said he would oppose releasing the entire autopsy because he feels it would intrude on Behrman’s medical privacy. * * *
[Judge] Gray said Sonnega was free to release whatever information he pleased.
“The ball is in his court,” Gray said. “I sealed the record at his request. If he wants to unseal it, he can do so. He can hold a press conference before the hearing, and then no one needs to show up Thursday. That’s fine by me.”
Posted by Marcia Oddi on June 3, 2006 09:47 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts