September 15, 2004

In 2002 it was discovered that 339 uncremated corpses had been scattered around the grounds of the Tri-State Crematory in Noble, Ga. The scandal led to criminal charges against T. Ray Brent Marsh, the crematory's operator, and also to many civil claims -- the problem being that the ruined Marsh is considered judgment-proof. So now there's been an $80 million settlement between Marsh and the outraged survivors whose family members' bodies were desecrated -- a whopping sum that one of the attorneys involved calls "Monopoly Money". The plaintiffs have no expectation of Marsh being able to pay; instead they "hope to collect the entire $80 million from the Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Co., which provided homeowner's insurance for the Marsh family". Were you wondering why your homeowner's insurance has been getting more expensive lately? It's not just the hurricanes. (R. Robin McDonald, "$80 Million Crematory Settlement Is 'Monopoly Money,' Says Attorney", Fulton County Daily Report, Aug. 27).