I would not advocate destruction as a means to eliminate embarrassing
things.  That is changing history.  If you destroy them with no record of
their existence, you change the historical record (and criminal also) to
continue to reflect this man's "greatness" within the community when in fact
he may be a criminal (remember innocent until proven guilty).  In addition,
without having an expert (i.e. lawyer) look at them you may be in violation
of the law (destruction of evidence) or reading too much into them.
(borderline but not)  Either way consult assistance outside of the museum
and perhaps outside of your community if it is small and you need unbiased
help.

If you are given the all clear to "destroy" then there must still be a
record of them in some way.  You records must reflect that they did exist
and were destroyed because they are a portion of the photographer accurate
history.  We do not have the right to change history just because it would
be easier or less complicated.  If he was a pedophile then he was.

If you decide not to destroy or are told you may not destroy them, you can
certainly restrict all access to them so that the curious and perverse
(including visitors, researchers, and staff) can not just come in to look at
them.

Either way, document, document, document.  Do not ignore them and hope they
will go away or not document them because they embarrass or upset you.  You
will need to record them the same way we do with morgue, murder and other
crime photographs because they are a part of the record.  Unpleasant but
still a part of it.

Good Luck
Tracie Evans
Collections Manager
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Heather-Marie Wells [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 2:57 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: Dilemma
>
> I have to disagree with destorying them.  I think the correct course of
> action would be to contact someone with a background in criminal law.
> They
> would know the statue of limitations for the area and what the museum's
> legal obligations would be to contact the authorities.  Just because this
> man is dead does not mean:
> A) that there are not any non-dead people involved (i.e. there may be
> living
> accomplices that need to be brought to justice)
> or B) that the victims cannot find some other way of obtaining justice for
> themselves.
>
> I don't think a museum should even think of destorying evidence of a crime
> without consulting  legal advice first.  I mean couldn't that open the
> museum/staff up to charges of obstruction of justice, accomplice to a
> crime,
> and I think there are actually destruction of evidence charges too.
>
> Heather Marie Wells
>
>
> >From: Richard Fields <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Dilemma
> >Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 11:48:46 -0700
> >
> >I am going to eccho the destroy opinion here. I can think of no good
> coming
> >from releasing the images to authorities. I do not know what they
> portray,
> >but I am assuming they are not what used to be euphemisticly called
> >artistic nudes. You may want to follow the military model. If a military
> >member is killed, any personal possessions that may embarras the family
> are
> >destroyed. Good luck.
> >
> >R. Fields
> >
> >
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