Florida Bill Filed to Stop Release of Earnhardt’s Autopsy Photos

A bill sought by Dale Earnhardt’s widow that would exempt autopsy photographs and videos from Florida’s public-records law was filed at Tallahassee on Wednesday with the support of Gov. Jeb Bush.

“The possibility of graphic and sensitive photos being leaked and exploited is a major public-policy concern,” said state Senate Majority Leader Jim King, who filed the bill.

He was flanked at a news conference by co-sponsor Sen. Bill Posey, Bush and two House members who have filed a similar measure.

King’s bill would make it a third-degree felony for someone to release the records with a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Bush said his office has received more than 14,000 e-mails and hundreds of telephone calls from Earnhardt fans in recent days protesting a request by the Orlando Sentinel and other Tribune newspapers, including The Times, to obtain the autopsy photos.

The Sentinel reported that a Florida man may have one of the autopsy pictures, but the paper did not attempt to view or copy it and the coroner’s office said it could be a fake.

The Senate bill would not affect written autopsy records, King said. Teresa Earnhardt wrote to King on Tuesday asking that a bill be filed.

But Barbara Petersen, the executive director of the First Amendment Foundation in Tallahassee, said the restrictions would be a mistake.

“A report can be slanted,” Petersen said. “A medical examiner can be under political and public pressure. A photograph cannot be. This is not about Dale Earnhardt, it’s about public oversight and creating an exception to the Constitution.”

Winter Sports

Magdalena Forsberg of Sweden clinched her fifth consecutive World Cup biathlon title by finishing 12th in a women’s 7.5-kilometer sprint at Lake Placid, N.Y. . . . Poland’s Adam Malysz won a large hill ski jumping event at Falun, Sweden, extending his lead in the World Cup overall standings. Malysz leads Martin Schmitt of Germany by 281 points in the overall standings with three meets left. . . . Jan Jacob Verdenius won the World Cup cross-country sprint title with a third-place finish in an all-Norwegian men’s final at Oslo, Norway. Thomas Alsgaard beat compatriot Toralf Heimdal with a strong kick to win the race. Finland’s Pirjo Manninen edged Bente Skari of Norway to win the women’s final.

Soccer

Valencia and Galatasaray clinched spots in the quarterfinals of the European Champions Cup with wins, and Deportivo de La Coruna overcame a three-goal deficit to stay in contention.

Valencia won, 5-0, at Austria’s Sturm Graz to take the Group A lead and Galatasaray won, 2-0, against visiting AC Milan in Group B.

In the other Group A game, Manchester United gained a 1-1 tie against Panathinaikos in Greece. In Group B, Deportivo beat Paris-St. Germain, 4-3, as Walter Pandiani scored three goals in the second half.

UEFA has opened an inquiry into the actions of Real Madrid players Raul Gonzalez and Luis Figo.

Raul was awarded the team’s opening goal in their 3-2 victory over Leeds in the Champions League on Tuesday after knocking the ball in with his hand.

UEFA said it would be investigating Portuguese international Figo on suspicion he deliberately earned a yellow card during the same match.

The card was Figo’s third in the competition, meaning that he will be automatically suspended for next week’s match against Belgium’s Anderlecht.

Mexico tied Brazil, 3-3, in an exhibition at Guadalajara.

Miscellany

A group of influential South Koreans formed a panel to support an anticipated bid by Kim Un Yong to succeed Juan Antonio Samaranch as International Olympic Committee president. The 65-year-old South Korean sports chief has not declared his candidacy, but his backers say the formation of a support group by a ruling party legislator is a prelude to an announcement. The deadline is April 10, and the election will take place July 16 in Moscow.

Qualifier Peter Wessels ran Alex Calatrava all over the court before defeating last year’s Citrix Championships finalist, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (2), at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Florida. Australian Wayne Arthurs defeated German Markus Hantschk, 7-5, 6-2.

Former NBA player LaSalle Thompson resigned as coach of the San Diego WildFire of ABA 2000, unhappy with the team’s league-worst 8-23 record. He will remain as general manager. . . . Two-time Olympian Suzie McConnell-Serio was elected as an athlete representative to the USA Basketball Executive Committee.

Colorado will play Fresno State in the inaugural Jim Thorpe Classic college football game Aug. 25 at Boulder, Colo.

Adam Naeve had 13 kills and Cameron Mount added 12 as the second-ranked UCLA men’s volleyball team defeated No. 4 USC, 34-32, 33-31, 10-17, at the USC North Gym.