Printing/taking photos of open caskets

Saw some AP photos of Chris Henry's funeral on Yahoo.

Is it a recent thing that they started taking photos showing the body? I don't remember them doing that much in the past.

Is that something that should be done? Or do people view it as too creepy? Or should it be a case by case basis?


Here's a link to the story. There's a four photo slideshow on the left side.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AuEUVx.LBMYq6I2gnhNJ_vk5nYcB?slug=ap-henry-funeral&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

I don't know if that's a new thing, or an old thing. But something about it just strikes me as wrong.

 

His arm must be healed. I noticed his cast was gone.

 

Very tastefully done photos. Funeral pictures of prominent individuals isn't anything new.

 

I got a token for the HellExpress for laughing at this.

 

Actually, I think reports were that the cast had been taken off his arm for some time.
Six, your token IS STILL good should you decide to use it.

 

No - you need to listen to the 911 call.

 

Open-casket photos in the paper have been around for a while, as long as it's not gruesome. For instance, I saw one of Herman Goering on microfilm when I was doing research the other day. On the other hand, I doubt many papers ran Emmett Till's open-casket photo.

 

Goering's photo was shown because he committed suicide the night before he was to be hanged, and the powers-that-were wanted to ensure there wouldn't be any rumours about his still being alive.

 

I do not want to sound racist with this, but often black people bring cameras when approaching the casket while paying respects at a funeral. And they take pictures.

Nothing wrong with that, but I would not do it or run it. I can also see why it would be available online - with the family's consent of course.

 

Same here.

I understand why they took the photos, but even tastefully done, it just seems wrong.