Do you believe there are boundaries the Media and the public should not cross when it comes to the dead?

On July 12, 2013, a full body picture of Trayvon Martin as he lie dead appeared on several social media pages, websites and YouTube videos.  This photo is not blurred.  The photo is part of the video footage from the courtroom fed to the Media pool.  It was briefly televised by MSNBC. It became Internet property when it was published as part of a commentary on a site called Gawker.

Previously it had been published by Huffington Post, however, the body was covered and the face was not shown.  The MSNBC reporter and Gawker site owner says the report which included the photo was not meant to exploit the sensationalized aspect of the photo and apologized for the anger it caused

We have not provided a source link which would take you to the picture.  Omitting the link was done out of consideration for the teenager’s family.  If you need to verify it is easy enough, but my question to you is:

Could you accept thousands, tens of thousands or millions looking at anyone whom you cared about as they lie dead?

How would it affect you to have such a photo reproduced over and over again until it is a common item on the Internet; one which you could come upon without warning at any time?

Could anyone justify to you their reasons for turning such a photo into a source of curiosity or entertainment?

Do you believe people should be able to use death photos to mock the deceased or as means of financial gain?

WHEN IS ENOUGH…… ENOUGH?

OUR MISSION:  Organize to protect and preserve, publicly, the legacy of those deceased and propose that all states/countries having defamation/slander civil codes be changed so that defamation applies to a “natural person whether living or deceased.

OUR GOAL:  Seeking support for a bill that would make it unlawful to defame a person who is deceased. Slander and libel are not protected under the First Amendment while a person is living. The same protection should be extended to a person after they are deceased. The loved ones of someone who has passed on should not have to live with the continued defamatory stories and false accusations that can so easily be paraded as fact.

Please support the CadeFlaw Initiative.  We need people to send letters or emails to the California Representatives.  We need people who know people in California to help get the word out, to sign the petition.

Note:  Neither this writer nor CadeFlaw’s intent is to exploit the tragedy of this nor any other person by telling their story.

S. Kendrick, Cadeflaw Resolution Specialist – a.k.a. Dial Dancer

AdLLaw Initiative GLOBAL Petition

Cadeflaw Global Petition  Petition Closed

Cadeflaw CA Residents Petition  Petition Closed