The following excerpt is from an article published in the February 27, 2014 edition of cnn.com:
Los Angeles (CNN) — One of the largest Jewish cemeteries in the Los Angeles area has agreed to an $80.5 million settlement of a lawsuit that accused it of desecrating remains, according to court documents.
The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleged that employees at Eden Memorial Park, in Mission Hills, California, “intentionally, willfully and secretly desecrated the remains of deceased individuals,” often moving them to make room for new remains. The cemetery is owned by Service Corporation International, or SCI, the largest owner of cemeteries in the United States.
The court granted preliminary approval of the settlement Thursday.
The case was brought on behalf of more than 25,000 Jewish families, according to plaintiffs’ attorneys.
“This settlement is a testament to the thousands of Jewish families who have been traumatized because of the conduct of Eden Memorial Park and SCI,” lead attorney Michael Avenatti said in a statement.
