SeaWorld, Slain Trainer's Family Want Video Suppressed

Dawn Brancheau Killed By Orca At Orlando Theme Park

POSTED: Tuesday, March 9, 2010

UPDATED: 10:52 am EST March 9, 2010

ORLANDO, Fla. -- SeaWorld and the family of a trainer slain by a killer whale want to suppress video footage of the attack.

AUDIO: 911 Calls

IMAGES: SeaWorld | Officials | Attacks

Dawn Brancheau, 40, was killed two weeks ago after being thrashed underwater before a horrified audience.

SeaWorld's cameras recorded the death, and the tapes were voluntarily turned over to law enforcement.

Once the Orange County Sheriff's Office concludes its investigation, the material would become public under Florida law.

Brancheau's family said Monday through a spokesman that public airing of the killing would only worsen their grief.

They could seek a court injunction to stop the release, at least temporarily. The family has been consulting the lawyer who represented Dale Earnhardt's widow in a court fight over his autopsy photos.

Meanwhile, SeaWorld said on Tuesday that it is reconsidering whether to keep using Tilikum, the 6-ton killer whale that drowned Brancheau, according to a Web site.

After Brancheau's death, SeaWorld said it planned on using Tilikum in future shows.

But according to the Orlando Sentinel, SeaWorld has decided not to make any decisions about its interactions with killer whales until a review is completed.

For more on the story, click here.

Previous Stories:

March 4, 2010: 911 Calls Released In SeaWorld Death
March 2, 2010: Witness: Body Hung From Whale's Mouth
March 1, 2010: Funeral Held For SeaWorld Trainer
February 27, 2010: SeaWorld Killer Whale Shows To Resume
February 26, 2010: OSHA Investigates Trainer's Death, Separate Incident
February 25, 2010: Bob Barker: Use Virtual Reality Whales
February 25, 2010: Trainer's Death Horrifies 'Dine With Shamu' Audience

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