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Thu 4 Oct, 2007 10:40 am
Recently in the Boston area, there was a horrible fire resulting in the deaths of two fire fighters. The local newspaper has leaked that one had alcohol in his system and the other had cocaine.
Is this appropriate after their death to publicize? What about the family members of these fallen fire fighters - they must be devastated enough without this being made public. Shouldn't the results be given to the proper authorities to handle and not made public? Or do we gain some sort of benefit by knowing this tidbit of information?
I don't see any reason why the autopsy results shouldn't be released (eventually) but I do disagree with the idea of "leaking" them to the press (as was done in this case) and making it public before the family was made aware of it.
These were public employees who died while perfoming on-the-job. IMO, the public has an interest (not a right - an interest) in knowing what the cause of death is when someone dies on their behalf.