"Captain Compassion" <res0mp8t@NOSPAMverizon.net> wrote in message
news:01gji1luu8a2ecsbjpptfkqf2tctbrfm66@4ax.com...

Company Hired to Handle Katrina's Dead Has Tainted History
Sep 14, 2005, 04:28 PM Email to a Friend Printer Friendly Version
http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=3851853

On Wednesday the official death toll from Katrina jumped to 474. More
than 400 of those bodies are now being held for autopsy at two
locations in the Baton Rouge area. All those bodies are now producing
a brand new public relations nightmare for state officials. This time,
it involves the hiring of the world's largest funeral corporation to
handle the job of recovering the dead. But it's a company we've
learned has a tainted history of legal troubles.

According to the Department of Health and Hospitals, Kenyon
International has been in charge of recovering and handling Hurricane
Katrina's dead without a contract since last Wednesday. That contract
was finally inked these past few days by Governor Kathleen Blanco, who
obviously felt FEMA was dragging its feet.

Even before Katrina hit, the accusations and criticisms for both
federal and local leaders were endless. First, national attacks on the
slow search and rescue efforts, and now more trouble concerning the
recovery of Katrina's dead. Governor Blanco has just inked the deal
with Kenyon International to lead body recovering efforts. The only
problem -- Kenyon's parent company is Service Corporation
International, a scandal-ridden, Texas-based company accused in a
number of lawsuits for illegally discarding and desecrating corpses.

The state Department of Health and Hospitals says it was unaware of
the company's legal troubles and was only doing what the governor had
asked.

"We're going to do what the governor's office ask us to do," said DHH
representative Bob Johannessen. "They wanted this firm to work here
and we facilitated to have that contract signed."

When asked if the governor requested a background check on the
company, Johannessen replied he didn't know.

The deal signed between Kenyon International and DHH is a two-month
contract that runs from September 12th to November 15th. Kenyon will
be paid a ten percent discounted daily rate of $119,000. Kenyon also
says estimated expenses for the first 31 days should total roughly
$639,000.

Kenyon, however, has already been involved in recovering dead bodies
in New Orleans and other areas since last Wednesday.

According to DHH, the understanding was that FEMA was originally going
to contract with Kenyon International, but after those talks failed,
Governor Blanco stepped in to finalized the deal.

Kenyon International is part of Service Corporation International,
which is the largest funeral provider in the world, owning many of the
most prestigious funeral homes in the world. But 9 News has learned
it's a troubled company.

Service Corporation International is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Its CEO and founder is said to be personal friends with the Bush
family, prompting some controversial headlines regarding presidential
influence. In recent years, the giant firm has been sued in several
states for its mishandling of bodies, just the thing Governor Blanco
alluded to on Tuesday when she took the handling of Katrina victims
out of the hands of FEMA.

"The recovery of bodies is a FEMA responsibility, but I cannot stand
by while vital operations are not handled properly," said Blanco. "In
death, as in life, our people deserve more respect than they've
received."

In 2003, SCI settled, for $100 million, a class action suit in Florida
involving two of the companies' funeral homes. The suit made these
allegations:

- The funeral homes broke open burial vaults and dumped remains in a
wooded area to be consumed by wild animals

- Crushed down burial vaults to make room for other vaults

- Buried decedents on top of each other rather than side by side

- Dug up and removed remains

- Buried remains head to foot rather than side by side

- And mixed body parts and remains from different individuals.

We know of no similar allegations against Kenyon International itself,
but the parent company is certainly tainted by allegations of price
gouging and gruesome disrespect of the dead. We have tried by phone
and email to get a response from Governor Blanco's office or from her.
We do not know if she is aware of the troubles or legal problems
accumulated by the company she has hired to handle the bodies of
Hurricane Katrina victims. We've had no response.

Reporters: Cyndi Nguyen and Paul Gates

--
"War is God's way of teaching Americans geography" -- Ambrose Bierce

"America is a vast conspiracy to make you happy." -- John Updike

"Long term commitment in relationships is only necessary because it takes
so damn long to raise children. Marriage may well be some kind of trick
to keep the males around beyond sexual satiation." -- Captain Compassion

"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant

Joseph R. Darancette
res0mp8t@NOSPAMverizon.net

You guys are unbelievable. Corpses floating all over New Orleans,
alligators eat stuff like that. This contractor has been ready to take
care of business since the beginning. Note the guy is from Texas, but he
was there! FEMA was dragging it's feet! Day after day went by. So the
Gov. signed a deal........and you and Rove pounce. You are really
something! This would never have happened if FEMA had been on the
ball.......but they were not. Had she signed with someone other than the
guy dispatched (without contract) by FEMA you would have pounced on that
because of the delay, or favoritism or something dirty.

It is a shame you people aren't as quick at solving problems as you are at
spreading dirt.

Randy R. Cox

"Captain Compassion" <res0mp8t@NOSPAMverizon.net> wrote in message
news:01gji1luu8a2ecsbjpptfkqf2tctbrfm66@4ax.com...

Company Hired to Handle Katrina's Dead Has Tainted History
Sep 14, 2005, 04:28 PM Email to a Friend Printer Friendly Version
http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=3851853

On Wednesday the official death toll from Katrina jumped to 474. More
than 400 of those bodies are now being held for autopsy at two
locations in the Baton Rouge area. All those bodies are now producing
a brand new public relations nightmare for state officials. This time,
it involves the hiring of the world's largest funeral corporation to
handle the job of recovering the dead. But it's a company we've
learned has a tainted history of legal troubles.

According to the Department of Health and Hospitals, Kenyon
International has been in charge of recovering and handling Hurricane
Katrina's dead without a contract since last Wednesday. That contract
was finally inked these past few days by Governor Kathleen Blanco, who
obviously felt FEMA was dragging its feet.

Even before Katrina hit, the accusations and criticisms for both
federal and local leaders were endless. First, national attacks on the
slow search and rescue efforts, and now more trouble concerning the
recovery of Katrina's dead. Governor Blanco has just inked the deal
with Kenyon International to lead body recovering efforts. The only
problem -- Kenyon's parent company is Service Corporation
International, a scandal-ridden, Texas-based company accused in a
number of lawsuits for illegally discarding and desecrating corpses.

The state Department of Health and Hospitals says it was unaware of
the company's legal troubles and was only doing what the governor had
asked.

"We're going to do what the governor's office ask us to do," said DHH
representative Bob Johannessen. "They wanted this firm to work here
and we facilitated to have that contract signed."

When asked if the governor requested a background check on the
company, Johannessen replied he didn't know.

The deal signed between Kenyon International and DHH is a two-month
contract that runs from September 12th to November 15th. Kenyon will
be paid a ten percent discounted daily rate of $119,000. Kenyon also
says estimated expenses for the first 31 days should total roughly
$639,000.

Kenyon, however, has already been involved in recovering dead bodies
in New Orleans and other areas since last Wednesday.

According to DHH, the understanding was that FEMA was originally going
to contract with Kenyon International, but after those talks failed,
Governor Blanco stepped in to finalized the deal.

Kenyon International is part of Service Corporation International,
which is the largest funeral provider in the world, owning many of the
most prestigious funeral homes in the world. But 9 News has learned
it's a troubled company.

Service Corporation International is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Its CEO and founder is said to be personal friends with the Bush
family, prompting some controversial headlines regarding presidential
influence. In recent years, the giant firm has been sued in several
states for its mishandling of bodies, just the thing Governor Blanco
alluded to on Tuesday when she took the handling of Katrina victims
out of the hands of FEMA.

"The recovery of bodies is a FEMA responsibility, but I cannot stand
by while vital operations are not handled properly," said Blanco. "In
death, as in life, our people deserve more respect than they've
received."

In 2003, SCI settled, for $100 million, a class action suit in Florida
involving two of the companies' funeral homes. The suit made these
allegations:

- The funeral homes broke open burial vaults and dumped remains in a
wooded area to be consumed by wild animals

- Crushed down burial vaults to make room for other vaults

- Buried decedents on top of each other rather than side by side

- Dug up and removed remains

- Buried remains head to foot rather than side by side

- And mixed body parts and remains from different individuals.

We know of no similar allegations against Kenyon International itself,
but the parent company is certainly tainted by allegations of price
gouging and gruesome disrespect of the dead. We have tried by phone
and email to get a response from Governor Blanco's office or from her.
We do not know if she is aware of the troubles or legal problems
accumulated by the company she has hired to handle the bodies of
Hurricane Katrina victims. We've had no response.

Reporters: Cyndi Nguyen and Paul Gates

--
"War is God's way of teaching Americans geography" -- Ambrose Bierce

"America is a vast conspiracy to make you happy." -- John Updike

"Long term commitment in relationships is only necessary because it takes
so damn long to raise children. Marriage may well be some kind of trick
to keep the males around beyond sexual satiation." -- Captain Compassion

"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant

Joseph R. Darancette
res0mp8t@NOSPAMverizon.net

You guys are unbelievable. Corpses floating all over New Orleans,
alligators eat stuff like that. This contractor has been ready to take care
of business since the beginning. Note the guy is from Texas, but he was
there! FEMA was dragging it's feet! Day after day went by. So the Gov.
signed a deal........and you and Rove pounce. You are really something!
This would never have happened if FEMA had been on the ball.......but they
were not. Had she signed with someone other than the guy dispatched
(without contract) by FEMA you would have pounced on that because of the
delay, or favoritism or something dirty.

It is a shame you people aren't as quick at solving problems as you are at
spreading dirt.