WLBT 04-03-2008 10PM

WLBT

APR 3 2008 10:00PM CT Captioned

[**09:58:02 PM**] ANSWERS AS THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL INVESTIGATES A LOCAL CREMATORIUM. POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS ARE DISCOVERED NEAR INTERSTATE 20 IN RICHLAND TODAY. AND RISING WATERS CONTINUE TO FLOOD THE CITY OF VICKSBURG, STATE OFFICIALS PLAN TO SHUT DOWN A LOCAL CREMATORIUM UNDER SCRUTINY TONIGHT. MISSISSIPPI ATTORNEY GENERAL JIM HOOD HAS FILED FOR A CHANCERY COURT INJUNCTION TO GET A THE SHUT DOWN. IT IS TONIGHT'S TOP STORY. TODAY HOOD ALSO CONFIRMED TO WLBT NEWS, HIS OFFICE IS CONDUCTING A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS MARK SEEPE FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND CREMATORIUM IMPROPERLY CO- MINGLED HUMAN REMAINS. RECORDS INDICATE, 147 PEOPLE WERE CREMATED THERE IN 2007. HOOD SAYS THIS IS A HIGHLY EMOTIONAL MATTER FOR FAMILIES. I DON'T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THIS HAPPENING GAIN AND UNFORTUNATE LY THESES VICTIMS HAVE HAD TO SUFFER TO MAKE SOME CHANGES OCCUR. AMONG THE CHANGES THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID HIS OFFICE IS RECOMMENDING THE IMMEDIATE HIRING OF AN INSPECTOR BY THE STATE BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICES IN ORDER TO INSPECT ALL CREMATORIUMS BEFORE LICENSING, AND HIS OFFICE IS PREPARING TOUGHER LAWS FOR LEGISLATIVE CONSIDERATION. IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL DAY FOR FAMILIES WHOSE LOVED ONES HAVE BEEN CREMATED AT MARK SEEPE FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND CREMATORIUM IN JACKSON. THE STATE BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICES AND ATTORNEY GENERAL JIM HOOD INVITED CONCERNED FAMILIES TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS TODAY. DOZENS OF FAMILIES LINED UP TO SHARE THEIR STORIES WITH BOARD MEMBERS. THE CREMATORIUM HAS BEEN UNDER SCRUTINY SINCE A FORMER EMPLOYEE REVEALED DISTURBING PHOTOS THAT APPEAR TO SHOW PILES OF BONES. THE STATE BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICES SAYS IT LOOKED AT THE PHOTOS AND TURNED THE CASE OVER TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. ONE WOMAN WHOSE FATHER WAS CREMATED AT SEEPE'S CREMATORIUM TOLD THE BOARD WHY SHE'S SPEAKING OUT. "ARE THEY MASS CREMATING PEOPLE? I WANT ANSWERS. I KNOW YOU CAN'T GIVE ME ANY, BUT I WANTED YOU TO SEE, THIS IS A PERSON, NOT A BUCKET OF ASHES. THE STATE BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICES SAYS IT WON'T INTERFERE WITH HOOD'S INVESTIGATION. BUT IT SAYS IT WILL CONDUCT ITS OWN INVESTIGATION AS SOON AS HOOD IS FINISHED WITH HIS.