Irwin death tape 'should be destroyed'

news.com.au ^ | 6 September 2006 | Peter Mitchell

[Aussie Dasher]

THE footage of Steve Irwin's death should be destroyed, his manager and friend John Stainton said today.

"I would never want that tape shown," Stainton told CNN talk show host Larry King.

"It should be destroyed.

"At the moment it is in police custody for evidence. There's a coroner's inquest taking place at the moment.

"When that is finally released it will never see the light of day.

"Never. Ever.

"I actually saw it and I don't want to see it again."

Irwin, 44, died on Monday when stabbed in the chest by a stingray barb while snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef and Stainton has said footage of the incident is "terrible".

The footage shows Irwin pulling the barb out of his chest before dying.

While Stainton wants the footage kept under wraps, media experts say it may soon be circulating on the internet.

"The key point is once there's something on film, it's impossible to keep it contained," Paul Levinson, chairman of Fordham University's Department of Communication and Media Studies, said.

Mr Stainton, who broke down several times during the CNN interview, said Irwin's wife, Terri, was struggling with her husband's death.

When King asked a teary Stainton how Terri was doing, Mr Stainton replied: "A lot worse than me".

Mr Stainton told how he travelled with Irwin's body in a caske

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Sigh... YES, you are correct. I admit my error. Sorry for the confusion.

[READINABLUESTATE]

I heard his camera man say Steve always told him "If I am being attacked by a shark or a croc. or a snake keep filming" He wanted it preserved on film, that is what he was all about and he wanted the public to see it.
I however would have a hard time watching it if it ever became available.

[Gamecock]

But like someone else said, it is almost a reflex to reach up and pull it out.

[JockoManning]

Quix, well said. Such thoughts you have, such depth.

Thanks for contributing.

Sometimes you seem to have a prophetic giftedness in your thoughts and your words.

God bless you,
jm

[SmoothTalker]

I agree with him. The tape should be destroyed. Last thing I want is for it to hit the net and become a cult thing with all the cyber wierdos and pervs.

[SmoothTalker]

"Will show up on You Tube and the p2p file sharing sites within months."

If it does show up i'd bet it would be within days.

[SmoothTalker]

" I would like to see the video footage if it come available."

Are you a muslim?

[DaGman]

The tape will be on the Internet within a week, max.

[Quix]

Thanks thanks.

[XR7]

"It should be destroyed."

Why? Pray tell.
Steve Irwin would certainly have wanted it shown.
That would have been his wish IMHO.

[Calvin Coollidge]

If he left a will or some other statement to that effect then his wishes should be honored. I have no reason to believe he would want his death shown all over the world. In the absence of any will or similar statement the decision rests with his heirs and it sounds like they have made up their minds. As a matter of personal opinion I think it should be destroyed. Beyond some depraved sort of voyeurism, why would anyone want to watch someone else die? It's rather like asking to be a witness at an execution. I think there is something wrong with people like that.

[Caipirabob]

Agreed. Destroy it. There's too much feasting on the dead in society as it is. Let Steve RIP and in dignity. He served his fellow man as a great entertainer and that's how I will remember him. That's it.

[endthematrix]

"If Steve could somewhow magically appear from the dead and were to be guested on the Tonight Show, I wonder how he would describe the incident. "

Crikey, that had to hurt!

[XR7]

Beyond some depraved sort of voyeurism, why would anyone want to watch someone else die?

I dunno. Why?
When's the last time you went to the theater to see a movie or rented a video?

I cannot think of very many recent popular movies in which someone doesn't die -
usually in a bloody, gruesome manner.

[Calvin Coollidge]

Honestly... I can't remember the last movie I saw in a theater or rented. And with a few exceptions (usually where there is some underlying message or point that justifies portraying violent death) I don't watch movies like that. The one that comes to mind is Saving Pvt Ryan. That's not the same thing as going out and renting the latest edition of "Faces of Death."

[HungarianGypsy]

I liked Irwin a lot. I thought he was nuts to always push things right to the edge as he did, but I liked him and feel terrible for his wife and kids and don't want to see a repeat with the next Steve Irwin. One is enough. We don't want people copying him, or there WILL be more deaths. So that's why I think the tape should be shown.

Jeff Corwin and the Kratt Brothers are good at making nature interesting, yet not doing anything really outrageous. I remember one episode of Corwin's where he was lying with a baby tiger or leopard. He said what a good kitty it was, then said it was of course a domesticated lion born in the zoo. He said he wouldn't be cuddling with a wild animal.

[HungarianGypsy]

Oops I meant cat, not lion. Sounds like I'm talking about three different animals.

[HungarianGypsy]

And yet the ray that zapped him was a passerby, not the one he was following. Like having another snake sneak up on him while he was bobbing heads with the first one. It must be some ray conspiracy, I tellya.

You know there was some wildlife mafia that had a hit on him. After all, these articles stating that wild animals had it in for him must make it so.

[Al Simmons]

"I can't help but wonder if he would have survived had he left that barb in place . Impaled objects should never be removed outside of an operating room."

Unfortunately, when the barb is attached to a 220lbs Sting Ray, which is moving around violently, there is no good option. I don't think anyone has said that the blade broke off the fish. Therefore its an academic discussion. In any event, if it went all the way through his heart, his reaction made no difference to the final result. At least he did not linger and suffer unnecessarily...

Its a week later and I still can't get this story out of my head....as a Dad of similarly-aged children all I can think about are his kids...

[bonfire]

I just stumbled on this thread and all I can say is "wow" to your post. Your mind is very amazing, Quix! God bless you.