Thompson Releases Statement on Court Case Involving Release of Autopsy Reports of Deceased Children

Today, Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) released the following statement regarding the release of autopsy records of the Borderline Bar & Grill victims.

“On November 7, 2018, a gunman entered the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, CA, began shooting, and killed 11 patrons and a Ventura County Sheriff. As the families of the victims have tried to move forward and begin the healing process, they have been confronted with the troubling realization that some from the media are trying to access their relative’s autopsy records.

“The relatives of gun violence victims face extraordinary heartache and pain. They should not be forced to continue to relive these tragedies. However, this is exactly what the families of the Borderline shooting are being forced to do with media entities trying to secure the disclosure of autopsy reports.

“We all have an inherent right to governmental privacy and transparency. These rights are not always mutually exclusive of one another and at times need to be balanced. The media has not articulated any reason they require access to these reports aside from “transparency for transparency’s sake.” This reason alone should not triumph over the right of the victims’ families not to have to relive this tragedy again.

“I am supportive of the victims’ appeal to the California Supreme Court to prevent the release of these records and to clarify the need to balance all interested parties’ rights under the law.”