Ted Williams' severed and frozen head has been mutilated at lab.

[Roy Hobbs]

This really doesn't make sense to me, it can't possibly be true, right? Man, this is quite disturbing... feels almost like murder, isn't it murder?

Nope, it's not murder.  In Arizona, it looks like the sentence for desecrating the dead is between 1 and 3.75 years, if convicted.  There may very well be a statute of limitations, though.

The same goes for any lawsuit by the family; they may be out of time to sue (although there's an argument that the statute shouldn't run until they knew or should have known about the misconduct.)

But I guess that if he was frozen with the believe that he could be revived in the future, if this mutilations caused enough damage, I would guess that someone could make the case for murder.

I don't know, I think that would be an interesting topic of discussion.

I think you *might* be able to make that argument, if somebody was technically still alive when they were frozen (although I don't think the current criminal law would embrace it.)  However, in the case of Williams he was dead before decapitation. 

More likely, it's something a jury might weigh in a civil suit.

(time to sound like a first year and get corrected by a real lawyer )

You think the family, assuming the statute is still running, could make a case for Intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress?

That's what i would go for, civilly. If they can show some sort of severity for distress (and i would think a loved ones body being intentionally mutilated this way by those trusted with it's care might get you around the absolute presences requirement)

It seems like they might be able to prove a ton of Extreme and outrageous conduct and get punitive damages, and mabey even hold alcor liable for negligence for employing this scumbags without supervision while they are at it.

There's actually a separate tort for "interference with a dead body".  Plaintiffs could plead a number of things, including potentially breach of contract, IIED, etc.

IIED is a notoriously weak pleading, though.  Plaintiffs would have to shown some actual harm caused by this, such as depression, etc.

[Emmette Bryant]

Ted should have quit while he was a head.

[Thruthelookingglass]

(time to sound like a first year and get corrected by a real lawyer )

I'm sure your analysis is a good starting point.

As a "real" lawyer (but first and foremost a human being), I think the main concern is to get cretins who would do such a thing off the street.  A civil suit won't protect us from that kind of monster.

[BrickJames]

Ted should have quit while he was a head.

I feel bad about the fact that I'm laughing at this joke...but I am.

[Thruthelookingglass]

Ted should have quit while he was a head.

That's a little rough for this forum isn't it EB?  A lot of people here are hardcore fans of Ted Williams.  If not relatives.

[incoherent]

i sleep in a room where a large portrait of Ted shines down on me, among many other boston legends.... 

i want to know about this story i want to know what happens to the the criminals who did this, i hope it's the worst possible thing according to law.

[indeedproceed]

I'm just pretending this didn't happen. It's a pretty awful/strange/disgusting story.

[Fafnir]

The same goes for any lawsuit by the family; they may be out of time to sue (although there's an argument that the statute shouldn't run until they knew or should have known about the misconduct.)

The Supreme Court doesn't think so based on the ruling involving pay discrimination.....

This is just disgusting.

[Master Po]

This certainly qualifies as the strangest headline ever on this blog ever aand maybe across media headlines. It would be hard to think up a stranger one.....please don't try...it can be done.

just crazy weird......No so sure why his head was frozen to begin with.....that whole concept is quite bizarre anyway.

Peronally I want a whole new head - this time with a bit more hair.

[Emmette Bryant]

Ted should have quit while he was a head.

That's a little rough for this forum isn't it EB?  A lot of people here are hardcore fans of Ted Williams.

For what it's worth, I think that Ted Williams was the greatest baseball player that ever lived.

However, this story of the frozen head is right out of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

[Roy Hobbs]

The same goes for any lawsuit by the family; they may be out of time to sue (although there's an argument that the statute shouldn't run until they knew or should have known about the misconduct.)

The Supreme Court doesn't think so based on the ruling involving pay discrimination.....

This is just disgusting.

Well, it's not as simple as that.  The "discovery rule" for statute of limitations is still alive and well in a lot of settings.  I just have no idea how Arizona law would treat that.

[LarBrd33]

naaaaaaaaahhhh...

just some idiot trying to sell a book.

[Brickowski]

Assuming the story is true, Williams' heirs have ample grounds for a civil suit against the facility where his body was stored and the indivduals involved, including restitution of the fees paid, emotional distress and all the rest.  Also, the facility will have a very difficult time drumming up any future business.

[xmuscularghandix]

Assuming the story is true, Williams' heirs have ample grounds for a civil suit against the facility where his body was stored and the indivduals involved, including restitution of the fees paid, emotional distress and all the rest.  Also, the facility will have a very difficult time drumming up any future business.

His daughter will probably do that, and she'll get money. Which is ironic becuase her and his son are the psychos that put him there in the first place.

[NicaraguanFan]

I wonder what kind of sick people do these things...