Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 15 december 2017
Ohio high court shields full autopsy reports in slaying of 8

Heavily redacted versions mind on how it wanted the
of the autopsy reports re- case to come out and then
leased last year showed finding a path there.” He
all but one of the victims said the ruling sets a nega-
were shot multiple times in tive precedent that will al-
the head, but details about low police to put whatever
any other injuries and toxi- they want under the “inves-
cology test results weren’t tigatory records” umbrella.
released. Dan Tierney, an Attorney
Once a criminal investi- General spokesman, said
gation ends, confidential the office was pleased,
information in autopsy re- and the killings remain un-
ports can become pub- der investigation.
lic records, but the pro- Pike County Coroner Da-
cess leading to a suspect vid Kessler has also noted
can sometimes take time, the victims’ relatives raised
O’Connor wrote. concerns about sharing
“In order that justice might details of their loved ones’
be delivered to all, pa- deaths. The newspapers ar-
tience may be required gued there is no evidence
of some,” the chief justice the full reports contain con-
said. fidential information pro-
The Columbus Dispatch vided by law enforcement
In this May 3, 2016 photo, mourners gather during funeral services at Scioto Burial Park in McDermott, and The Cincinnati Enquirer authorities, nor any evi-
Ohio, around caskets for six of the eight members of the Rhoden family found shot April 22, 2016, separately sued for access dence the autopsies were
at four properties near Piketon, Ohio. A divided Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, to the full final autopsies. prepared with input from
rejected requests for the unredacted autopsy reports from the unsolved slayings.
(AP Photo/John Minchillo) The Ohio Attorney Gener- investigators. The redacted
al’s Office, which is leading reports show most victims
By ANDREW HUGGINS the Pike County coroner fidential law enforcement the investigation, sought to were shot multiple times.
Associated Press in southern Ohio does not investigatory records.” shield the information, ar- Forty-year-old Christopher
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — have to release the reports The case before the court guing that its release could Rhoden Sr. was shot in the
A divided Ohio Supreme with complete information. involved seven adults and compromise the investiga- head, upper body and
Court on Thursday rejected Chief Justice Maureen a teenage boy from the tion. torso, according to the re-
requests for unredacted O’Connor, writing for the Rhoden family who were Jack Greiner, an attorney dacted autopsy. Justice
autopsy reports from the majority, said Ohio law re- found shot to death at four representing the newspa- Sharon Kennedy, writing for
unsolved slayings of eight garding coroner records homes near Piketon, in rural pers, called the majority’s the minority, said the redac-
family members. clearly exempts the re- southern Ohio, on April 22, decision “a classic case tions on the Rhoden autop-
The court ruled 4-3 that dacted material as “con- 2016. of the court making up its sies are inconsistent.q

Police, prosecutor scrutinize

fatal shooting by NYC officer

NEW YORK (AP) — The New were looking for someone
York Police Department with a different first name
and Bronx district attor- and birthday than his.
ney’s office are scrutinizing Sanabria had provided live-
a raid that led to an officer in care for his elderly broth-
fatally shooting a man who er-in-law, Natalio Conde,
was accused of wielding a who is Miguel Conde’s fa-
machete. ther. The 92-year-old said
The New York Times reports he fearfully pulled a sheet
that 69-year-old Mario over his head and feigned
Sanabria was killed around sleep during much of the
4 a.m. on Dec. 5 after po- episode.
lice, following up on a re- Natalio Conde said he
port that his nephew had heard Sanabria, who did
a gun and narcotics, broke not speak English, say
down the door and en- “What’s happening?”
tered his apartment. in Spanish, then then he
The nephew, Miguel heard a shot.
Conde, 38, said he hadn’t “It was like a bomb going
lived in the apartment for off,” he said.
seven months. He said he Natalio Conde said he
went there after the shoot- owned a souvenir ma-
ing and was questioned for chete from the Caribbean.
hours before getting a sum- He said that in the seconds
mons for having a marijua- before he took cover, he
na cigarette and a pocket did not see a machete
knife. in Sanabria’s hand, and
Conde said detectives he doubts Sanabria even
seemed confused and knew where he kept it.q