IDAHO — Idaho Governor Brad Little has signed a bill into legislation that would exempt photos or images of deceased individuals from crime scenes from public discourse.
The bill, SB 1250, was introduced in the Senate on Feb. 3.
One of the bill’s biggest champions was Alivea Goncalves, the sister of Kaylee Goncalves, who was one of the four University of Idaho students killed in their off-campus home by Bryan Kohberger. Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin and Madison Mogen were also killed in the attack.
Due to the high profile of the murders, the victims’ families were calling on the legal system not to release crime scene photos, and at the very least, not to release photos of their loved ones’ bodies.
While the families fought to stop the release, the city of Moscow told the court that it was bound by Idaho Public Records Law.
Hundreds of crime scene photos in the University of Idaho case have been released. Most are photos of a home frozen in time, just the way it was left on the night of the murders.
Some photos, however, showed visible blood spatter or large bloodstains.
When those photos were released, Alivea said her family never got a heads up.
“For those who would have a problem with this very uncontroversial bill, I would say that maybe you should just reconsider why you feel entitled to view photos taken during a death investigation of a dead body,” Alivea told NewsNation in an interview.
The bill was passed unanimously, save for two lawmakers who were counted absent.
“Today, I signed SB 1250 into law. I commend the many champions of this bill, including Alivea Goncalves. This change will help protect grieving families from the additional pain of having sensitive photos released that should remain private. I applaud Alivea and the Goncalves family for their incredible advocacy in the face of immense tragedy,” Little wrote on Facebook.
The new law takes place July 1. Only the victim’s family members will be able to request those images.
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