Pictures of the crime scene and forensic photos of the 2008 murder investigation of Meredith Emerson. That's what Hustler magazine reporter Fred Rosen has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for as he writes a story for the porn magazine.
Meredith Emerson went missing in Georgia on New Year's Day in 2008. Gary Hilton confessed a week later and led police to her body. Hilton said he targeted Emerson when they met hiking on Blood Mountain in North Georgia.
7 On Your Side asked Rosen via e-mail and voicemail for comment but we have not heard back from him.
GBI spokesperson John Bankhead talked with us by phone from Georgia on Tuesday.
"Sometimes these writers would like to have crime scene photographs so it can help them in writing what they see in the photograph to depict what the crime was like but with a magazine like Hustler we question if they would do that," said Bankhead.
Bankhead told us the release of autopsy photos is already banned in the state of Georgia unless a judge makes a different ruling. He says the GBI will release to Hustler only the crime scene photos that do not have any images of Emerson's dismembered body.
"They are very grisly photographs which I think would obviously have a tremendous negative impact on family members and friends," Bankhead said.
During a press conference Monday Georgia House Speaker David Ralston said he urged the GBI not to release the photos.
"I think that request is sickening, I think it is disgusting, I think it's vile and it is very, very hurtful for this family," Ralston said.
On Monday Georgia State Representative Jill Chambers introduced legislation called the "Meredith Emerson Privacy Act" to make sure the public cannot have access to crime scene photos.
"The goal is to make sure photographs of the genitals or dismembered body parts are not disseminated," Chambers told News Channel 7. "The public would still be able to view the pictures at GBI headquarters under the supervision of an employee. "
Chambers said Emerson's family told her Meredith wanted to make a difference in the world.
"They hope this legislation will protect the privacy of future crimes so her death will not be in vain," Chambers said.
Ralston said they will put the bill on the fast track to prevent other families from confronting this situation in the future.
Gary Hilton is serving a life sentence for the murder of Meredith Emerson.
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