A. Autopsy reports.

Coroners are subject to the Act and their records are open, but it usually takes some persuasion to gain access to autopsy reports. As a consequence of the death of stock car racer Dale Earnhardt, legislation was adopted to preclude access to autopsy photographs and similar materials. S.C. Code Ann. §§ 17-5-535 and 30-4-40(a)(18).  The Sumter County Coroner denied a request by The Item newspaper for access to an autopsy report on grounds that it was a medical record and restricted by HIPAA, neither position seems to be supported by anything other than the imagination of the Coroner.