After Earnhardt's death in the Daytona 500, the Daytona Beach medical examiner said the driver died as a result of a basal skull fracture caused by the violent whiplashing of his head on his car's impact with a concrete retaining wall. They all agreed that hitting a steering wheel generally prevents, not causes, a basal skull fracture because the wheel would stop the head's violent forward motion. Petty, Irwin and Roper all died of skull fractures similar to Earnhardt's. So The Sentinel wants its expert, Phillip A. Villanueva, to study the Earnhardt autopsy photos. If we can't tell people what the information is, then they don't have the information to make an informed decision or influence those who make the decisions.
Information results in decision-making.
A county judge prohibited their release in answer to legal action by the Earnhardt estate. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Thursday. Meanwhile, some Florida legislators are trying to rush through a new law preventing public access to autopsy results. Dave Kindred is a contributing writer for The Sporting News.