To update a story previously reported on SFist, Yahoo, Inc. has complied with a court order handed down by an Oakland County, Michigan judge to allow the family of Marine Lieutenant Corporal Justin Ellsworth access to their deceased son's email. Ellsworth was killed in Fallujah, Iraq last winter by a roadside bomb. Yahoo has so far declined to revise their privacy policy, which states that "any rights to your Yahoo! I.D. or contents within your account terminate upon your death." From the Associate Press:

Yahoo said it has complied with court orders in a handful of similar situations, but has not changed its policies on privacy.

"We are pleased that the court has issued an order resolving this matter, satisfying Mr. Ellsworth's request as representative of his son's estate, and allowing Yahoo to continue to uphold our privacy commitment to our users," spokeswoman Mary Osako said.

John Ellsworth had argued that his son would have wanted him to have the account. The Marine told his dad that kind e-mails kept him going, and his family wanted to make a scrapbook out of them.

Photo montage of Lt. Cpl. Ellsworth by Bruce Robere.