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

[samadams2000]

Watch PETA protest the funeral.

[indcons]

Agreed..his family should be spared the public spectacle of his death being replayed afain and again.

[ndt]

Really it would depend on what his wishes were or would have been, and the best one to answer that would be is his wife. I would be fine with whatever she chose to do.

If this were me (as Steve not his wife) I think I would want it shown. It is the very possible and very real consequences of being so close. There is a lesson here, even in a tragic end to a brilliant career.

[phatus maximus]

I'm surprised they didn't take out an ad basically saying he deserved what he got...

[secret garden]

Agreed. The tape should be destroyed.

[HairOfTheDog]

Irwin's wife, Terri, was struggling with her husband's death.

I'm sure she is. She had a great love story till yesterday. I feel really bad for her.

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[Hildy]

What does that mean, can't keep it under wraps. THERE'S ONE COPY...they know where it is and who has access to it. It it shows up on the internet, somebody should go to jail.

[HHFi]

It should be destroyed, but it won't be. Some moron will post it to YouTube, or it will make the rounds of Internet sites run by radical animal rights nuts who will rejoice at watching someone die because they disagree with him. This is the face of leftist compassion and decency today. It's the same type of "mentality" that creates a very accurate depiction of the murder of President Bush and puts in front of every hopped-up wacko on Earth while piously claiming that it's just "to stimulate discussion."

[Shimmer128]

WHAT do the police want it for??? Are they going to arrest the sting ray?????
Destroy it NOW.

[Aussie Dasher]

If they do, they should get the funeral director's card first!

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

It will likely find its way to video sharing websites much like crimescene videotapes of clerks getting killed by robbers happens. Someone will be lured by the money.

~ Blue Jays ~

[tflabo]

Yes..I would like to see it if his family releases it eventually. It cant be more ghoulish or horrible than watching the JFK assassination video.

[phatus maximus]

Agreed.

[RacerX1128]

Friend says the tape shows him pulling out the barb so I guess those who said he died instantly were mistaken. May he rest n peace.

[Rembrandt]

This tape will never be destroyed if the alphabet networks in the U.S. get hold of it. Nothing is sacred or tasteless to them compared to revenue. AND, they WILL get hold of it.

[nmh]

"No disrespect for Steve Irwin, family or friends however I would like to see the video footage if it come available."

Have you ever loved someone?

If you have, put that person in Steve's situation. Would you want others to see that loved one, die over and over again? There is no "education" in that.

Most people are protective of their loved ones - alive and dead. Their memory is precious and they don't want it tainted or in this situation used as ghoulish entertainment.

I've never met Steve, however I like him. I respect him and I as a strange in his life, feel protective of his memory. The tape should be destroyed asap.

[Al Simmons]

He is absolutely, 100% right. It should be destroyed, and I only can hope that the police dep't in Cairns is a bit more protective of the rights of their local Aussie hero than some agencies in the US have been in the past in similar circumstances. I hope they have it under lock and key with someone watching the safe every minute to prevent an illicit copy being made. It should be turned over to the family after the inquest is over and they should burn it forthwith.

Just the thought of one of his kids accidentally seeing this thing on the Internet in a few years is enough to curl my hair.

[nmh]

"No disrespect for Steve Irwin, family or friends however I would like to see the video footage if it come available."

Have you ever loved someone?

If you have, put that person in Steve's situation. Would you want others to see that loved one, die over and over again? There is no "education" in that.

Most people are protective of their loved ones - alive and dead. Their memory is precious and they don't want it tainted or in this situation used as ghoulish entertainment.

I've never met Steve, however I like him. I respect him and I as a strange in his life, feel protective of his memory. The tape should be destroyed asap.

[Al Simmons]

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

No it won't. I have every confidence that the Aussies who have handled it so far are not 'sickolas' and that they won't make copies before turning it over to the family..