Opinion ID: 1161100
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Yarbrough v. Pierce County

Text: As a result of an accident with a power tool, Ralph Wilson Roberts died of strangulation. Barnes, the same investigator who investigated the death of Roberta Vaughan, investigated Roberts' death and took photographs of Roberts. Similar to the Vaughan case, Barnes obtained the Roberts photographs after his employment with the Medical Examiner's office ended and during his tenure with Pierce County Public Works. Violet Yarbrough, Roberts' widow, alleges that for approximately eight years after Barnes obtained the autopsy photographs, he discussed postmortem details of Roberts' death and shared the autopsy photographs with others. The photographs were marked with Roberts' name and Barnes did not remove the deceased's name when showing the photographs to friends and coworkers. Yarbrough also alleges Barnes made copies of the photographs and displayed those copies in classes he taught on road safety. Barnes admits he did this. Like the Vaughan case, Barnes never asked Roberts' family for permission to display the photographs or discuss the postmortem details of Roberts' death. Summary judgment was entered in favor of the County. We granted all of the Plaintiffs' petitions for review and consolidated the cases because they present highly similar issues.