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High Court Hears Plea To Release Death Photos
The Boston Globe ^ | 12/4/2003 | Lyle Denniston

Posted on 12/04/2003 4:41:44 AM PST by johnny7

Edited on 04/13/2004 2:11:10 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

WASHINGTON -- In a hearing featuring as much emotion as law, the Supreme Court yesterday explored the delicate issue of public disclosure of death scene photos and autopsy reports that surviving family members want kept secret.

The case focuses on four photographs of the body of Vincent W. Foster Jr., a former White House aide in the Clinton administration who committed suicide. But the hearing ranged far from that, touching on privacy issues surrounding the deaths of US soldiers overseas and the identification of body parts after the World Trade Center attacks in 2001. When the justices looked at the narrow legal issue before them, they pondered whether the federal Freedom of Information Act was designed to protect the privacy only of individuals who figure in government photos or reports, or also protects the privacy interests of surviving relatives when federal files contain the sometimes gruesome images of death.


(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: foster; photos; vincentfoster
“You've demonstrated some footfaults in the investigations, a mistake here and there, but who cares?” -Scalia

Dammit... we care!!

1 posted on 12/04/2003 4:41:45 AM PST by johnny7
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To: johnny7
Dammit... we care!!

I believe that Scalia's point was that there was no real evidence to substantiate the man's claims of a conspiracy and that all the pictures in the world would make no difference. The only real difference is the furtherance of the man's name to the demise of the family's wishes and dignity. Do you really think the family would try to hold back info if they thought that it might result in a final resolution and the conviction of the killer?

2 posted on 12/04/2003 4:49:03 AM PST by trebb
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To: johnny7
Semantics - can someone slain/having committed suicide while fulfiling the duties of a position there (any place) become a "former' White House aid? Does one have to live beyond/after a period of service to become "former"? I think you have to be living beyond holding a position to be other than a "late" White House aid.
3 posted on 12/04/2003 4:52:25 AM PST by NutmegDevil
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To: trebb
No real evidence? There is a 511-page report that specifically and totally refutes every single one of the (incomprehensibly weak, utterly illogical) 80-point report issued by Ken Starr... and this is all done using the same evidence that was used by the government!

Do some research... the burden of proof has very much shifted to the Clinton-era Justice Department.
4 posted on 12/04/2003 5:13:43 AM PST by snowrip ("Going to war without the French is like going hunting without your lawnmower.")
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To: johnny7
Didn't they find Foster with a gunshot to the back of his head? If so, that's a very suspicious 'suicide'.
5 posted on 12/04/2003 5:37:49 AM PST by TheCrusader
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To: trebb
Do you really think the family would try to hold back info if they thought that it might result in a final resolution and the conviction of the killer?

No... I don't. But ask me another question. Do I think someone other than the family is behind their decision? Damn right!

6 posted on 12/04/2003 6:35:26 AM PST by johnny7 (“If you are being murdered, raped or molested... please hold... ”)
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To: TheCrusader
No. Vince was 'said' to have shot himelf in the mouth. Check out Alamo Girls research on forensics data.
7 posted on 12/04/2003 6:40:18 AM PST by johnny7 (“If you are being murdered, raped or molested... please hold... ”)
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To: johnny7
Recent discussions and related articles:

The Washington Post's Version of The Hearing

FReeper Allan Favish on FOX Big Story/John Gibson at 5:00pm re: SCOTUS argument Vince Foster Photos

 Supreme Court to Decide on Foster Photos (Vincent Foster's)

8 posted on 12/04/2003 6:54:17 AM PST by IncPen ( Jesse Jackpot is a poverty pimp!)
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To: snowrip
No real evidence? There is a 511-page report that specifically and totally refutes every single one of the (incomprehensibly weak, utterly illogical) 80-point report issued by Ken Starr... and this is all done using the same evidence that was used by the government!

I also believe that the Klintons were responsible for his death, but it would appear that the photos are probably not going to turn the tide and it would serve no useful purpose to oppose the family. If it was my family, I would want justice done, but would be really miffed if others thought that their own "investigations" trumped my right to privacy.

9 posted on 12/04/2003 6:57:08 AM PST by trebb
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To: johnny7
And so Scalia pulls out the "It's old news, we have more important things to think about now." defense of corruption, salted with a few "consipracy nut" shots across the bow.

The photos will never see the light of day. Done deal.

10 posted on 12/04/2003 6:58:29 AM PST by Jim Cane
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To: trebb
I believe that Scalia's point was that there was no real evidence to substantiate the man's claims of a conspiracy and that all the pictures in the world would make no difference. The only real difference is the furtherance of the man's name to the demise of the family's wishes and dignity. Do you really think the family would try to hold back info if they thought that it might result in a final resolution and the conviction of the killer?

As tempting as it is to flame you for the above statement, I'm going to refer you to my post just above, so that you can read a little and learn some things.

Allan Favish, the attorney arguing this case before the Supreme Court, is a longstanding FReeper who methodically built his case both in the courts and in the hearts and minds of many of us here.

His presence and his work predates the Free Republic site itself; back in the day, the foundation of FR was built on a discussion forum started by Jim Robinson called "Whitewater". It was a site devoted to recording all things Clinton, particularly what were perceived as crimes against citizens of this country. Some of us believed (some still do) that this country would not survive a Clinton presidency. We were almost proved right. We're not sure yet that we'll be proved wrong.

The crimes of the Clinton presidency were well documented here, to the point that this site (which evolved from the Whitewater site) became the essential reference in the media, in the government and in the citizenry for the events surrounding both impeachment and the attempt to steal the 2000 election by Clinton's protege, Al Gore.

The archives of this site will stand to refute Clinton's attempts to rewrite the history of his disastrous reign. That's no small accomplishment.

We have had our share of tinfoil and disruptors here over the years, and those people have been exposed and dealt with.

Allan Favish is the real deal. He has credible evidentiary proof that the investigations to date have not addressed key points regarding what happened to Vince Foster. The fact that Fiske and Starr considered the Foster case is of little consequence; their inquiries in the Foster matter were tangential to their primary investigations.

A very little bit of historical perspective on your part would reveal that, when dealing with things Clinton, all is not what it appears to be. If you believe that the wishes of the family have anything to do with the matter at hand, I would refer you to do some research on Clinton operatives named Ickes, Pellicano, Livingstone, Blumenthal, Morris, Begala, Carville, Thomason, and others. Hardly a group of people one can count on for an objective measure of 'truth'. Some of these named are proven intimidators on the Clintons behalf.

On the other side of the coin, for a view of what it's like to be on the 'outside' of the Clinton experience, I would refer you to the experiences of Clinton acquaintances named Jones, Willey, Broaddrick, McDougal, Tripp, Dale, Aldrich, Foster, Hubbell, Trulock, Elian Gonzalez, and others. Some of these people were in jeopardy of their very lives for crossing the Clintons. Some people arguably lost their lives for crossing the Clintons. That is the crux of Allan Favish's appearance before the court. That he is even in front of the court on this matter speaks to the gravity of concern that, indeed, there may infact be merit to his argument. You would do well to consider that the court does not suffer fools in matters it chooses to consider.

Simple searches on this site and Google ought to satisfy your misstatement that " the family would [not] try to hold back info if they thought that it might result in a final resolution and the conviction of the killer"...

Have a look-see, and do come back if you have any questions.

11 posted on 12/04/2003 7:20:13 AM PST by IncPen ( Read. Learn something.)
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To: IncPen; trebb
Further reading/cross reference:

Vince Foster: What the Media Won’t Tell You

12 posted on 12/04/2003 7:34:28 AM PST by IncPen ( Read. Learn something.)
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To: IncPen
( Read. Learn something.)

Good tag. Too many out there just can't be bothered. I'm not a conspiracy advocate but I don't like to be told 'move on... nothing here.'

13 posted on 12/04/2003 7:51:11 AM PST by johnny7 (“If you are being murdered, raped or molested... please hold... ”)
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To: johnny7
( Read. Learn something.)

Good tag. Too many out there just can't be bothered. I'm not a conspiracy advocate but I don't like to be told 'move on... nothing here.'

I don't blame people for not wanting to think about things Clintonian.

The purpose of Clinton's minions obfuscating was to wear down the will and resolve of good people, to get them to say, "Cripes! Enough already."

The whole idea of 'move on' is that there's 'nothing here', and all your time trying to find something will just be a waste, so don't bother.

As we learned over the years, the more you dig with things Clintonian, the more bothersome the connections and interconnections become, to the point that the evidence against them, not the exculpatory findings, become overwhelming.

My departed father believed - as I did - that Clinton was a warning to us, and feared that Clinton and his wife signalled the end of American history.

Neither of us anticipated the internet; nor did Clinton, much to his everlasting regret.

I don't think it's over the top to suggest that Jim Robinson (and the FReepers, and the likes of Matt Drudge) saved this country.

14 posted on 12/04/2003 8:09:05 AM PST by IncPen ( Read. Learn something.)
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To: IncPen
Thanks for the link and the other info - it has been my long opinion that Hillary was responsible for his death, but I still have trouble fathoming a family being reluctant to allow info that may bag the killer(s), much less going out of its way to squash such info. I agree the Hilly-Billy machine is dangerous, but it seems that any new "convenience deaths" would pretty much put the hounds' teeth into them. One of my biggest wishes is that The Klintons get caught and have to pay for all they have done.

I'll defer further judgement to the seemingly capable hands of those who have been concentrating on the issue.

15 posted on 12/04/2003 9:39:56 AM PST by trebb
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To: trebb
It's worth keeping in mind that if a court ruling against Favish does not mean Foster wasn't murdered. Watch for Clinton apologists to argue so, if it comes to pass.
16 posted on 12/04/2003 10:29:44 AM PST by IncPen ( Read. Learn something.)
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To: IncPen
Let's not forget Mr. Parks. When he heard Mr. Foster was dead, Mr. Parks said he was a dead man. Despite vigilance and carrying a weapon, Mr. Parks was gunned down while driving.

Backing down from bullies does not work.

My pet theory is that Mrs. Clinton is hoping for Mr. Bush to have an accident. Why should she stop hoping, when it's happened so many times before?
17 posted on 12/04/2003 10:51:29 PM PST by Tymesup
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To: Tymesup
You pet theory is one I've held for some time, as well.

I do honestly believe that she is the one person on the national scene whose ascension to the White House could foment a civil war in this country...
18 posted on 12/05/2003 5:07:08 AM PST by IncPen ( Read. Learn something.)
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