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Upstate NY Corpse Plundering Trial Begins

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Nov 17, 2008 12:31 pm US/Eastern

Upstate NY Corpse Plundering Trial Begins

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) ― A former funeral director in upstate New York says he was duped by an unscrupulous biomedical company owner into removing body parts without permission from 23 corpses.

Jason Gano is the first of seven people to stand trial in Rochester on charges of illegally removing skin, bone and other parts from bodies being prepared for cremation at four funeral homes.

The defense says in opening statements Monday that Michael Mastromarino, who owned Biomedical Tissue Services, sent Gano forged documents indicating relatives gave their consent. Prosecutors countered that Gano systematically allowed Mastromarino's employees to loot bodies without permission.

Mastromarino is serving 18 to 54 years for running the scam in New York.

(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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