Jury Awards $2.25M in Georgia Autopsy Privacy Case

A Fulton County jury awarded Jessica Ross and Treveon Taylor Sr. $2.25 million—$2 million in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages, the state maximum—after Dr. Jackson Gates, a pathologist they hired for $2,500, posted graphic images and video of their decapitated newborn on Instagram without consent. The infant was decapitated during a complicated July 2023 delivery at Southern Regional Medical Center. Gates was found liable for intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, and fraud. He claimed the posts were for educational purposes and did not reveal the baby's identity, but the jury disagreed, citing social media attention as the motive. The parents have also filed a separate, ongoing lawsuit against the hospital and doctors, alleging medical negligence and an attempted cover-up. The case highlights ongoing concerns about privacy and dignity from medical professionals.