SC exhumes tall body rumored cut to fit in coffin

**Terminator** · 04-02-09, 10:21 PM

ALLENDALE, S.C. South Carolina authorities on Tuesday exhumed the body of a man long rumored to have had his legs cut to fit into a coffin, and a coroner said what officials discovered has brought a criminal investigation.
Allendale County Coroner Hayzen Black said "undesirable evidence" was found after officials examined the body of James Hines, a tall man who died in 2004 of skin cancer.
Black would not say what the evidence was, but he said rumors had long circulated in the town that Hines' legs were cut so he could fit into a prepaid coffin.
"I have heard stories. They're only street talk. You don't pay any attention to it," he said. However, Black said increased interest from a prosecutor and the state's funeral licensing board led to Tuesday's exhumation, which was observed by state and local law officers and Hines' widow.
"We found undesirable evidence and it is being further investigated," Black said.
State Law Enforcement Division spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons confirmed the agency was investigating whether a dead man's legs were cut off so his body could fit into a coffin.
Neither the county sheriff nor the local prosecutor returned calls after hours Tuesday. A phone listing for Hines' widow rang unanswered.
A man who answered the phone at Cave Funeral Home, which handled the Hines burial, said he was the owner but otherwise declined to comment.
Black said photos were taken for the investigation and that Hines was reburied in the same casket, which was placed in a new concrete vault.

**pgg** · 04-06-09, 01:26 AM

It said pre paid coffin. Maybe he didn't want to supersize it

**sgtbear111** · 04-06-09, 01:39 AM

Hmmm........only the Coroner is talking? That is..... interesting. Is this a state where the Coroner has the common-law authority to arrest the High Sheriff or other county officials?

Wait till the TV trash shows pick up on this.

**mack** · 04-06-09, 06:20 AM

Now this is a weird subject, but my husband does work for a casket company. From what he has told me they basically are one size, exception being children's caskets or special ordered x-tra wide. The legs of overly tall people are not usually "cut off" but are broken to fit the smaller lengthed caskets.

**Odd** · 04-06-09, 06:38 AM

What is the legal complaint? I have to stretch (no pun intended) to see the harm.

If it's about dignity, well, that's out. There's very little of that in death, at least as we compare to encounters in life....funeral prep details omitted.

Speaking as a live person the idea of being buried footloose isn't embarrassing, or offensive. Now if they'd done one cut, the head, to save time instead of doing two feet, I could see a reason for complaint.

**bayern** · 04-06-09, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by sgtbear111

Hmmm........only the Coroner is talking? That is..... interesting. Is this a state where the Coroner has the common-law authority to arrest the High Sheriff or other county officials?

Wait till the TV trash shows pick up on this.

One word: YUP

**213th** · 04-06-09, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Odd

What is the legal complaint? I have to stretch (no pun intended) to see the harm.

If it's about dignity, well, that's out. There's very little of that in death, at least as we compare to encounters in life....funeral prep details omitted.

Speaking as a live person the idea of being buried footloose isn't embarrassing, or offensive. Now if they'd done one cut, the head, to save time instead of doing two feet, I could see a reason for complaint.

don't some states have laws against desecration of corpse? Even if they did though...really? it doesn't bother me

**Buttercup** · 04-06-09, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by mack

The legs of overly tall people are not usually "cut off" but are broken to fit the smaller lengthed caskets.

No way!

**Retdetsgt** · 04-06-09, 12:20 PM

Oh yeah, they drain the blood out, sew up the lips, put a half pound of makeup on the face so the pallor doesn't show, but breaking the legs is mutilating? It's a dead body for crying out loud.

The ME does a lot worse damage to the body than that during an autopsy..... Maybe if the family saw the brain sliced like thin pieces of ham they wouldn't worry about something as silly as this....

**Wolven** · 04-06-09, 01:26 PM

I agree with Retdetsgt....an autopsy is just as bad as cutting off legs to fit into a pre-paid coffin. Really...the guy is dead...what's the big deal????

**Jenna** · 04-06-09, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Wolven

I agree with Retdetsgt....an autopsy is just as bad as cutting off legs to fit into a pre-paid coffin. Really...the guy is dead...what's the big deal????

What if he is reanimated as a zombie or vampire? It will be hard for him to chase after people if his legs have been cut off.

**Captain America** · 04-06-09, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by Jenna

What if he is reanimated as a zombie or vampire? It will be hard for him to chase after people if his legs have been cut off.

He would have to apply for a disabililty check from the federal govenrment and I'm sure he would qualify under the current progressive guidelines in place. Can't discriminate against the undead.

**armsmaster270** · 04-06-09, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jenna

What if he is reanimated as a zombie or vampire? It will be hard for him to chase after people if his legs have been cut off.

They qualify for a free wheelchair to chase the living

**Jenna** · 04-06-09, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by armsmaster270

They qualify for a free wheelchair to chase the living

**Caveman** · 04-06-09, 07:32 PM

Thats not as bad as the guy I heard about a few years ago. He was supposed to be cremating the bodies but instead was dumping them on some property and giving the families urns full of dry concrete mix.

**Retdetsgt** · 04-06-09, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by Jenna

What if he is reanimated as a zombie or vampire? It will be hard for him to chase after people if his legs have been cut off.

Sounds like a good reason to cut off the legs from all corpses.....

**213th** · 04-06-09, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Wolven

I agree with Retdetsgt....an autopsy is just as bad as cutting off legs to fit into a pre-paid coffin. Really...the guy is dead...what's the big deal????

Pre paid. Key word. If the guy was really concerned about it, would he not have prepaid for a specially made coffin?

**keith720** · 04-06-09, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by Captain America

He would have to apply for a disabililty check from the federal govenrment and I'm sure he would qualify under the current progressive guidelines in place. Can't discriminate against the undead.

If he could prove he didn'y pay any taxes, he could probably get a cabinet post in the Obama administration.