Desecration: A Well-Intended Mistake
A year ago, thirty-two year-old Roger Dunn died in a car wreck. As the AP reports:
This week, Danny and Anita Dunn filed suit against the county, the errant coroner, the former police chief, and the volunteer fire department.
As Sheriff James Votour explained, "There are legal means to obtain cadaver parts." For whatever reasons, Mr. Jackman did not see any need to respect that path. Meanwhile, as the AP explains, "County officials who investigated the mishandling of the remains had called it a well-intentioned mistake."
Something about that phrase just reeks of indifference, as if their only reason for paying attention to the issue is that they cannot avoid it.
Then again, in a society where people frequently argue that public service ought to be more like private enterprise, what else should we expect of public servants than to act like corporate flaks?
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Notes:
Associated Press. "Parents sue NY county after coroner gives son's remains to fire chief for dog-training lesson". The Washington Post. April 13, 2013. WashingtonPost.com. April 13, 2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...e94f9c-a44f-11e2-bd52-614156372695_story.html
"County officials who investigated the mishandling of the remains had called it a well-intentioned mistake."
—Associated Press
—Associated Press
A year ago, thirty-two year-old Roger Dunn died in a car wreck. As the AP reports:
After his death, Niagara County Coroner Russell Jackman gave some tissue from the crash scene to a volunteer fire chief who was training a dog to sniff out human remains.
Both men later resigned and pleaded guilty to misdemeanors over their conduct. They also apologized.
Each was fined $1,000 and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and write letters of apology to the Dunns.
Both men later resigned and pleaded guilty to misdemeanors over their conduct. They also apologized.
Each was fined $1,000 and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and write letters of apology to the Dunns.
This week, Danny and Anita Dunn filed suit against the county, the errant coroner, the former police chief, and the volunteer fire department.
As Sheriff James Votour explained, "There are legal means to obtain cadaver parts." For whatever reasons, Mr. Jackman did not see any need to respect that path. Meanwhile, as the AP explains, "County officials who investigated the mishandling of the remains had called it a well-intentioned mistake."
Something about that phrase just reeks of indifference, as if their only reason for paying attention to the issue is that they cannot avoid it.
Then again, in a society where people frequently argue that public service ought to be more like private enterprise, what else should we expect of public servants than to act like corporate flaks?
____________________
Notes:
Associated Press. "Parents sue NY county after coroner gives son's remains to fire chief for dog-training lesson". The Washington Post. April 13, 2013. WashingtonPost.com. April 13, 2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...e94f9c-a44f-11e2-bd52-614156372695_story.html
