eBay removes murdered child autopsy pics

eBay has tightened user policy on its site after an attempt to sell an autopsy photograph of an eight-year-old boy.

The photo and other crime scene pictures were brought to eBay's attention after a complaint by US support group the Parents of Murdered Children.

eBay removed the pictures from the site, but the action wasn't quick enough and it found that one had already been sold, AP reported.

"This was the first time a crime scene photo of a minor had been placed on eBay," said eBay representative Kevin Pursglove. "It was also the first time, that we are aware of, of a coroner's photo being placed on the site."

The boy in the autopsy photo was one of three boys found bludgeoned and mutilated in a drainage ditch after disappearing from their West Memphis homes in May 1993. Three teenagers were convicted of the slayings.

eBay said it had changed its user policy since the incident to declare it has the power to remove morgue and crime scene photos from the site.

"We are dealing with some very tough issues because a lot of this type of merchandise is readily available in other arenas," said Pursglove. "We are also looking at a lot of legal issues involving the rights of people to sell things." ®

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