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Worchester Spending $10k a Day for Tsarnaev Funeral Home Security

Worcester Police Chief Gary J. Gemme held a press conference this morning outside the funeral home that is holding Tamerlan Tsarnaev's body.

Police Chief Gary J. Gemme pleaded today for anyone with authority to provide a burial site for suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

Gemme said Russia is not an option and there are no viable other prospects. Federal and state officials have not been responsive.

The city is spending $10,000. a day for security around the funeral home.

Whose fault is it that Worchester has to spend $10k a day guarding the funeral home? It's not the funeral director's fault. It's not Tamerlan Tsarnaev's fault. The need for security is due to the protesters. No sympathy here.

< Boston Defendant Gets New Lawyer, Father Comes to U.S. | Report: Tamerlan Tsarnaev's Parents Now Considering Cremation >
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  • Display: Sort:
    Seems that Police Chief Gary J. Gemme is (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by MO Blue on Wed May 08, 2013 at 12:02:11 PM EST
    faulting the funeral director. Video of news conference and more in depth article here.

    "I condemn the cruelty and savagery of the deceased in the harshest possible terms. And while I question the practicality of the decision to bring his body to the City of Worcester, I believe that Mr. Peter Stefan made his decision out of compassion and respect for his obligation to his profession," Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said. "However, Mr. Stefan's unilateral decision has created significant local public safety challenges and unnecessary costs."

    What appears lacking in this news conference is an appeal to the protesters to cease their activities.

    Gemme said Russia is not an option with the uncle Ruslan Tsarni who has claimed the body.  

    Are the protesters required to stay as far away (none / 0) (#2)
    by Peter G on Wed May 08, 2013 at 12:31:43 PM EST
    from the funeral home as Westboro Baptist folks are required to stay away from other families' funeral services?  Also, it is a federal misdemeanor to obstruct, "by force or threat of force," or attempt to obstruct, another person's exercise of religious beliefs (which I imagine would include the making of burial arrangements).

    Guess the Police Chief was wrong (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by MO Blue on Wed May 08, 2013 at 12:54:06 PM EST
    "We are not barbarians. We bury the dead," said Gemme...link

    Protestors have lined up outside the funeral home where his body is being stored, warning that they are even willing to dig up the body if it is buried on U.S. soil. The city of Cambridge issued a pre-emptive statement, saying it would not allow Tsarnaev to be buried there. link


    Parent
    Apparently (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by sj on Wed May 08, 2013 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    we are barbarians. How ugly is it that "officials" are denying burial rites? Our national lowest common denominator is even lower than I thought.

    Recall the outrage when the bodies of the American contractors were dragged through the streets of Falluja. The behavior being threatened is the equivalent. And I don't see the crackdown on the intended criminal activity.

    Parent

    Denying burial is political fluff (none / 0) (#7)
    by CoralGables on Wed May 08, 2013 at 01:14:21 PM EST
    by the Mayor of Cambridge. By state law, Cambridge is required to bury him if asked. Of course a potential court case could leave Tamerlan Tsarnaev in the cooler for a few more months, and at this point I doubt the family is intersted in extending things.

    There does appear to be some disagreement between the uncle and the parents, but I'm guessing that technically at this point the parents have no say.

    Parent

    I hope you're right (none / 0) (#9)
    by sj on Wed May 08, 2013 at 04:55:43 PM EST
    but an admittedly quick search didn't provide confirmation of that, but found lots of fluffers. And the political fluff is causing some innocent people a lot of pain.

    Parent
    And Do What With It ? (5.00 / 2) (#8)
    by ScottW714 on Wed May 08, 2013 at 01:20:14 PM EST
    Drag it through the streets ?  Then what, leave it for the trash man ?

    I can't believe there are people on the planet that have nothing better to do than protest where a dead body is buried.

    Will someone please ask them what will happen if the body is buried here ?  Is it gonna rape their ancestors, rise from the dead, infect the dirt, what is the problem.  

    When did we become this petty and obnoxious ?

    And why aren't our leaders stepping in and telling these idiots to go home and worry about something important.

    Parent

    they are now considering cremation (none / 0) (#3)
    by Jeralyn on Wed May 08, 2013 at 12:34:18 PM EST
    Update here

    Why is it (none / 0) (#6)
    by jbindc on Wed May 08, 2013 at 01:08:42 PM EST
    the government's responsibility? Why isn't it his wife's and parents' responsibility to get his body out of there and find someplace in the world to leave his final remains?

    And if (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Zorba on Wed May 08, 2013 at 06:04:16 PM EST
    Russia refuses to admit the body, and there are no cemeteries here who will accept it, what are they supposed to do?

    Parent
    According to Police Chief Gemme (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by MO Blue on Wed May 08, 2013 at 06:14:37 PM EST
    they are involved because it is costing the city $10,000. a day for security around the funeral home. To the best of my knowledge there is no state or federal law that requires his family "get his body out of there" before they find someplace to bury his final remains.

    Parent
    Well, I suppose that (none / 0) (#12)
    by Zorba on Wed May 08, 2013 at 06:17:52 PM EST
    they could throw his body in the trunk of a car and just drive around until they found a cemetery that would accept it for burial.    {/snark}

    Parent