SC Supreme Court hears autopsy reports case

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s Supreme Court justices repeatedly asked a First Amendment lawyer why autopsy records should not be considered medical records.

The justices heard arguments Wednesday in a Sumter newspaper’s lawsuit against the county coroner after he refused to release the autopsy report of a man shot by police in 2012.

The coroner told The Sumter Item the autopsy reports are medical records, which are exempt from being given to the public under the state’s Freedom of Information Act.

Newspaper attorney Jay Bender says autopsy reports are investigative tools used by public law enforcement bodies and should be open for review. Bender pointed out in this case, the autopsy results contradicted what law enforcement said about a police shooting.

A separate state law bans the release of autopsy photos.