Harvard's Morgue Scandal: Legal Battles Erupt
Massachusetts' top court ruled Harvard can be sued over a former morgue manager's scheme to sell body parts. Claims allege Harvard mishandled donated bodies, failing to act in good faith. The court reinstated allegations against Harvard's anatomical gift program director and revived lawsuits by 47 plaintiffs against the institution.
Harvard University is facing legal challenges after Massachusetts' highest court decided the distinguished institution can be sued. The lawsuit stems from allegations that bodies donated to its medical school were improperly handled and parts illicitly sold by the morgue's former manager.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court found that Harvard's actions, described as failing in its legal and moral duties, were sufficient to proceed with legal action. The case highlights a sordid chapter involving ex-morgue manager Cedric Lodge, who faced charges for a scheme involving dissection and sale of cadaver parts.
Lodge, already awaiting sentencing after a guilty plea, ran the scheme from 2018, bringing attention to potential systemic issues at the university. The development reinvigorates lawsuits by 47 plaintiffs, questioning Harvard's oversight of its anatomical gift program and challenging previously granted immunity based on the institution's alleged negligence.
Google News