Nikki Catsouras Crash Photos

Nikki Catsouras was killed in a high-speed car crash in October, 2006 at the age of 18. A California Highway Patrol (CHP) employee leaked photos taken at the accident scene onto the Internet,OCRegister: Employee Leaked Photos, CHP Says (February 13, 2007) prompting Catsouras' family to file a $20 million lawsuit against the California Highway Patrol.OCRegister: Judge Dismisses Suit Over CHP Photo Leak (March 21, 2008)

In the May 4 newsstand copy of Newsweek, the magazine chronicles the story of the Catsouras family since 18-year-old Nikki Catsouras' death and subsequent leak of the gruesome car photos.OCRegister: Story of graphic crash photos... (April 29, 2009)

The Catsouras family's initial attempt to bring legal proceedings against the CHP officers failed in March, 2008 when Orange County Superior Court Judge Steven L. Perk ruled that the officers were not responsible for safeguarding the privacy of the family linked with the crash.

The fight did not end there though, and on February 2, 2010, the California Court of Appeals reversed Judge Perk's ruling, clearing the way for the Catsouras family to follow through with their suit against Thomas O'Donnell and Aaron Reich, along with the California Highway Patrol for invasion of privacy, infliction of emotional distress and negligence.http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/03/local/la-me-chp-photo3-2010feb03 In the Court's reversal, the actions of Officers O'Donnell and Reich were called "morally deficient" and "vulgar".http://www.scribd.com/doc/26275786/Catsouras-Ruling-Feb-2010

1. Born on March 4, 1988
2. Died on October 31, 2006
3. Funeral service was held at the Saddleback Church
4. Mother: Lesli Catsouras
5. Father: Christos Catsouras
6. Sisters: Kira, Danielle and Christiana