Lee Harvey Oswald's Brother Sues Funeral Home For Selling Oswald's Old Coffin

from the ownership-of-coffins dept

Tue, Jan 25th 2011 8:10am — Mike Masnick

Paul Keating alerts us to a bizarre lawsuit, where the brother of JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, Robert Edward Lee Oswald, is suing a funeral home and an auction house because they auctioned off an old casket that Lee Harvey Oswald had been buried in for a while. Apparently, back in 1981, due to one round of conspiracy theories that claimed that Lee Harvey Oswald was not actually buried in his grave, the grave site was dug up and Owald was exhumed and proven to be Lee Harvey Oswald again (for the doubters). In doing so, it was discovered that his original coffin had "deteriorated" (they tend to do that), so it was replaced with another one.

Fast forward to December of last year when Robert Edward Lee Oswald discovered that the funeral home was auctioning off the old casket, along with some other items related to the funeral of both Lee Harvey Oswald and his mother. It's not clear how he has any right to claim ownership or some sort of contractual obligation concerning those items, but he's trying. While it's true that he did "buy" the original coffin, it does not appear that he paid for the replacement coffin, which leads to all sorts of interesting "ownership" questions. Do we really continue to "own" a coffin after it's been buried in the ground? And then what if it's been exhumed and replaced? The living Oswald didn't seem to have any issue with the fact that he never got back the original coffin until he found out it was being sold, so perhaps an argument could be made that he "abandoned" it. The whole thing will likely make for an entertaining trial either way, assuming it gets that far.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: caskets, lawsuits, lee harvey oswald, robert edward lee oswald

35 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Marcus Carab (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 8:07am

to further complicate things, there is evidence of a second owner behind the fence on the grassy knoll...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Jon B. (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 8:17am

This post isn't about tech, but it's about dirt, so there's that
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Joe Bilderberg, 25 Jan 2011 @ 8:19am

A moot point
The whole thing will likely make for an entertaining trial either way, assuming it gets that far.

Needless to say, the Illuminati will make sure that this case quietly disappears.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
sam, 25 Jan 2011 @ 8:22am

this profiteering off a man's dead brother and dead his mother is sick. i hope he wins, they disrespected his wishes that the coffin be destroyed. a coffin he purchased and had full say on what to say with. and yes you own the grave property since it's been firmly established in cases where graveyards were moved or graves dug up and vandalized, or other illegal activities.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Johnny, 25 Jan 2011 @ 9:42am
  
  Re:
  I'd agree with that, this is profiteering by the funeral home. They had no business selling this stuff.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- The Infamous Joe (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 10:34am
  
  Re:
  Yes, but the man with the dead mother and dead brother doesn't want the items destroyed or the auction stopped, he wants the items given to him as well as the money they've made. He also wants his money back for the burial plot(s). He is also claiming that this has hurt him financially.
  
  I don't think there are any upstanding citizens in this suit.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Dark Helmet (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 8:30am

Uh...
"Paul Keating alerts us to a bizarre lawsuit, where the brother of JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald"

Whoa, whoa, whoa, my friend. I'm not so sure you want to write that sentence out quite so definitively....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- A Dan (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 10:16am
  
  Re: Uh...
  I'm sure he meant to put in the "alleged" and just forgot.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 25 Jan 2011 @ 8:37am

The key point is that they believed the old casket was destroyed by the funeral home at the time of the changeover. As the casket had been paid for, the ownership would have been with the estate. If the funeral home didn't destroy it, they should have returned it or asked for directions as to what to do with it. They did neither, it seems, and just kept it.

A little sharp reading shows that even this simple story can be poorly presented on TD.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- ethorad (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 8:54am
  
  Re:
  Agree - the court submission clearly states he bought the coffin and so should retain the ownership of it. The only thing I can think of is when LHO was reburied with a new casket whether his brother signed something to trade coffins.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- The Infamous Joe (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 10:24am
  
  Re:
  As the casket had been paid for, the ownership would have been with the estate.
  
  With the fact that the living Oswald didn't pay for the new coffin, this is a win-win for the funeral home. They'll simply dig up the dead Oswald and put him back in his old coffin and sell the "new" one, that presumably they still own.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - David Liu (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 11:01am
    
    Re: Re:
    IANAL, but isn't digging up bodies illegal without an exhumation order?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - ethorad (profile), 26 Jan 2011 @ 4:48am
    
    Re: Re:
    Sounds like a good business idea, digging up and reburying Oswald every few years
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Shay Doyle, 1 Jan 2013 @ 12:17pm
    
    Re: Re:
    They can't just go digging up bodies whenever they like. They'd have to get a court order and if the family refuse permission then that's that unless a crime is suspected. Oswalds 1 Undertaker 0
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Shay Doyle, 1 Jan 2013 @ 12:17pm
    
    Re: Re:
    They can't just go digging up bodies whenever they like. They'd have to get a court order and if the family refuse permission then that's that unless a crime is suspected. Oswalds 1 Undertaker 0
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Chris Rhodes (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 11:54am
  
  Re:
  The key point is that they believed the old casket was destroyed by the funeral home at the time of the changeover.
  
  Discarded items are no longer considered your property (this is why police officers don't need a warrant to go through your trash when it's at the curb).
  
  If the family were the ones who said "Yeah, toss it" then the funeral home has a good claim on it. If the family said "Where's the old one?" and the funeral home said "Uh, we burnt it." when they really didn't, then not so much.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Michael, 26 Jan 2011 @ 5:02am
  
  Re:
  "The key point is that they believed the old casket was destroyed"
  
  umm...no.
  
  The key point is that there are people creepy enough out there that is is worthwhile to auction off a USED COFFIN.
  Apparently, it IS true that you can buy anything on eBay...
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
iamtheky (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 8:53am

Upon exhuming the body "they" determine that the casket is deteriorated and "they" replace it.

I'll be the skeptic for the other side and think that the funeral parlor misled the plaintiff into believing the casket destroyed with the intent of profiting off the item themselves.

Think they can just replace and sell off old tombstones or mausoleums, maybe some bonus ashes? If you cant profit off of the momentos that people purchased for their deceased loved ones, whats the point of running a chop shop?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 9:25am
  
  Re:
  Upon exhuming the body "they" determine that the casket is deteriorated and "they" replace it.
  
  There are laws about interring bodies (and re-interring counts,) so it's a fairly objective call.
  
  As alluded to above, the time to claim your 'property' is sometime in the previous thirty years. This reeks of rent seeking.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
daveruah, 25 Jan 2011 @ 9:16am

Sounds like grave robbing to me. I don't think that is legal.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 25 Jan 2011 @ 9:29am

Dead and Buried now who owns ya
Who "owns" Grandpa's gold teeth and Grandma's diamond necklace that are presumably with their bones in their casket?
For that matter what about great, great, great grandpa's stuff that went to the grave with him?

Reminds me of Kennewick Man http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennewick_Man (Who looked amazingly like Patrick Stewart) Where federal government and the Umatilla Indians have spent millions trying to determine the ownership of bones found on public land that are somewhere between 5650 and 9510 years old.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Marcus Carab (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 12:18pm
  
  Re: Dead and Buried now who owns ya
  Who looked amazingly like Patrick Stewart)
  
  Okay wow, yeah... that corpse is clearly the result of some sort of time-travel paradox. Turns out "Time's Arrow" had it almost right...
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Pickle Monger (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 10:52am

Too much TV?
Here's something I learned while watching season 1 (the only season I watched) of "Six Feet Under". It is illegal to sell coffins that have been used.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Jeff Jones (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 11:08am
  
  Re: Too much TV?
  If it is intended for use.
  
  If they were selling it as a casket for use in a burial, AND, not disclosing the previously used nature of the casket, then yes, I would imagine that is illegal. Prevents dishonest funeral homes from selling the same caskets over and over.
  
  Anything can be sold as a "collectible" as long as the item itself is legal.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Jeff Jones (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 11:10am
  
  Re: Too much TV?
  And...
  
  Just because it was on TV does not make it true.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Pickle Monger (profile), 25 Jan 2011 @ 12:26pm
    
    Re: Re: Too much TV?
    Awww... Well, at least I still have my faith in Internet...
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
TheBigH (profile), 26 Jan 2011 @ 3:35am

Hmmm...
This argument between Oswald and the funeral place is going to increase publicity of the auction and potentially boost the price of the coffin. So even if the funeral people have to come to some kind of settlement with Oswald to divvy up the loot, they'll probably still do well out of it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Texan, 18 Feb 2011 @ 7:42am

JFK-Oswalds casket
It seems that Oswald's brother believes in the purpose of law and the courts. The honorable thing for a true Texan to do in this situation is to shoot the owner of the funeral home, steal the casket and the other stuff, and then let the courts worry about which nut did all of this. Instead he has chosen to go to the mercy of the courts. If someone sold my brothers casket, their prayers should be asking for a merciful brother as Oswald has.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
joe, 21 Feb 2011 @ 12:29pm

lho casket
Neither get oswald's casket its considered hazardous needed to be destroyed
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
LBJ Killed JFK (Here's the Proof), 3 Nov 2011 @ 7:17pm

LBJ Killed JFK (Here's the Proof)
Perhaps, more importantly, Oswald was a mere PATSY.

The Case Against LBJ (Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZzEbKxCFBM&feature=related

The Case Against LBJ (Part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZcecy1btLY&feature=related

The Case Against LBJ (Part 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BiYVw8ml9c&feature=related

The LBJ-CIA Assassination of JFK
http://www.federaljack.com/?p=18969

Read 1) BLOOD, MONEY & POWER, by Barr McClellan, 2) Mary�s Mosaic: Mary Pinchot Meyer & John F. Kennedy and Their Vision for World Peace, and 3) JFK: The CIA, Vietnam, and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy, by L. Fletcher Prouty.

Did you know, that LBJ would have gone to PRISON, for the murders of 8 people in Texas (including LBJ�s own SISTER!), at the hand of Mac Wallace, LBJ�s hired hit-man, had LBJ NOT become President? LBJ wanted DESPERATELY to become President. (Just like Tricky Dick Nixon, who was at Clint Murchison�s house, the night before the Assassination, along with many, many other colorful characters, such as J. Edgar Hoover, and Jack Ruby). TPTB (The Powers That Be) knew that JFK and RFK were trying to get LBJ OFF the �64 ticket! In order for TPTB to reverse all of JFK�s actions as President (such as Executive Order 11110) � LBJ would HAVE TO BECOME PRESIDENT. The choice was clear � the deed would be done in Dallas, but only after they ruled out Chicago, and Tampa). LBJ suggested the Dallas venue. JFK agreed. Jack Ruby owed a favor to Carlos Marcello. That�s why he was the one who took out the patsy: Oswald.

FIVE important books on the subject:

1) Blood, Money & Power, by Barr McClellan
2) Mary's Mosaic: Mary Pinchot Meyer & John F. Kennedy and their Vision for World Peace, by Peter Janney
3) JFK: The CIA, Vietnam, and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy, L. Fletcher Prouty
4) Coup d'Etat in America: The CIA and the Assassination of John F. Kennedy, by Alan J. Weberman and Michael Canfield
5) Plausible Denial: Was the CIA Involved in the Assassination of JFK? by Mark Lane
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
LBJ Killed JFK (Here's the Proof), 3 Nov 2011 @ 7:17pm

LBJ Killed JFK (Here's the Proof)
Perhaps, more importantly, Oswald was a mere PATSY.

The Case Against LBJ (Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZzEbKxCFBM&feature=related

The Case Against LBJ (Part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZcecy1btLY&feature=related

The Case Against LBJ (Part 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BiYVw8ml9c&feature=related

The LBJ-CIA Assassination of JFK
http://www.federaljack.com/?p=18969

Read 1) BLOOD, MONEY & POWER, by Barr McClellan, 2) Mary�s Mosaic: Mary Pinchot Meyer & John F. Kennedy and Their Vision for World Peace, and 3) JFK: The CIA, Vietnam, and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy, by L. Fletcher Prouty.

Did you know, that LBJ would have gone to PRISON, for the murders of 8 people in Texas (including LBJ�s own SISTER!), at the hand of Mac Wallace, LBJ�s hired hit-man, had LBJ NOT become President? LBJ wanted DESPERATELY to become President. (Just like Tricky Dick Nixon, who was at Clint Murchison�s house, the night before the Assassination, along with many, many other colorful characters, such as J. Edgar Hoover, and Jack Ruby). TPTB (The Powers That Be) knew that JFK and RFK were trying to get LBJ OFF the �64 ticket! In order for TPTB to reverse all of JFK�s actions as President (such as Executive Order 11110) � LBJ would HAVE TO BECOME PRESIDENT. The choice was clear � the deed would be done in Dallas, but only after they ruled out Chicago, and Tampa). LBJ suggested the Dallas venue. JFK agreed. Jack Ruby owed a favor to Carlos Marcello. That�s why he was the one who took out the patsy: Oswald.

FIVE important books on the subject:

1) Blood, Money & Power, by Barr McClellan
2) Mary's Mosaic: Mary Pinchot Meyer & John F. Kennedy and their Vision for World Peace, by Peter Janney
3) JFK: The CIA, Vietnam, and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy, L. Fletcher Prouty
4) Coup d'Etat in America: The CIA and the Assassination of John F. Kennedy, by Alan J. Weberman and Michael Canfield
5) Plausible Denial: Was the CIA Involved in the Assassination of JFK? by Mark Lane
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Kenny iantorno, 7 Jan 2012 @ 7:48am

The family already has the shame of jfks death but the brother dc hould be getting.any and all moneys from a selling of his brothers casket if he bought it in the first place who cares who bought the seco.d one its not the onr in the auction house damn let the past be the past
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Angels Independent Family Funerals, 18 Jun 2012 @ 7:57am

Lee Harvey Oswalds Coffin.
Out of respect on any event of this nature once a Deceased has been laid to rest into a coffin that coffin. Repatriation of a Deceased is a common occurance where the coffin is brand new on reciept and in a lot of cases cannot be used in England crematorium so a new coffin is purchased by the family. We offer the original coffin to the family. If they do not want it it is destroyed. The fact of who was originaly in said coffin should not be used as a sale feature or advertising especially without the consent of the original purchaser. I would imagine the Honour of actualy Conducting the Funeral for Mr.Oswalds family has now lost all meaning in the General Public eye.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Franklin Griffin, 18 Jul 2015 @ 10:12am

Story
Franklin Griffin · Author at Retired

I would like for your news staff to take a look at my website (www.franklingriffin.com)
and consider my story for your news. Endorsements: President George H.W. Bush,
Dr. Howard Jones, professor at the University of Alabama, Dr Larry Sabato, University
of Politics West, Va. and country singer George Jones. You will find more reviews at my web-site.
My book can be purchased through my web-site and most books stores ie Barnes & Noble,
Ingram & Baker Taylor. Former Governor John Patterson wrote the foreword in my book.
Places of interest where "Touched by Fire" can be found.

1. Texas State Library & Archives Commission.
2. State of Alabama Department of Archives and History.
3. Check (world catalog) for libraries that list my book.
4. Dealey Plaza Musume Library
5. Would be interested in a book signing.

Second Edition. Hardcover, 190 Pages
Publisher: Lulu.com (January 17, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1105921794
ISBN-13: 978-1105921797

Frank Griffin Author of Touched by Fire has signed on to join our JFK whodunnit? tour for October 22 , 2014. Author of the book "Touched By Fire" a national best seller Frank will be signing autographs and selling his book at Lee Harvey Oswald's rooming home in Dallas Texas.
For info contact : 214-310-0700
www.Oswaldroominghousetours.com

STORE · CONTACT. Local & National Interviews
6th Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza Oral taped interviews.

Thank you
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Frank Griffin, 10 Feb 2016 @ 5:24pm

Book
Hello,

I would like for the news to take a look at my website (www.franklingriffin.com)
and consider my book "Touched by Fire" for your news. Endorsements: President George H.W. Bush,
Dr. Howard Jones, professor at the University of Alabama, Dr. Larry Sabato, University
of Politics West, Va. and country singer George Jones. You will find more reviews at my web-site.

My book can be purchased through my web-site and most books stores i.e. Barnes & Noble,
Ingram & Baker Taylor. Former Governor John Patterson wrote the foreword in my book.
Places of interest where "Touched by Fire" can be found.

1. Texas State Library & Archives Commission.
2. State of Alabama Department of Archives and History.
3. Russia National Library
4. Oklahoma Historical Society
5. Dealey Plaza Museum Library
6. British Public Library
7. Moncton Public Library, Canada
8. Walsall Library & Museum UK.

Second Edition. Hardcover, 190 Pages
Publisher: Lulu.com (January 17, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1105921794
ISBN-13: 978-1105921797

STORE · CONTACT. Local & National Interviews
6th Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza Oral taped interviews.
Narrative Decryption on "Touched by Fire".

"It's no wonder that, after reading "Touched by Fire," country music legend, George Jones, wrote Frank Griffin to say: "I thoroughly enjoyed the book" and former President George H.W. Bush called it "a most interesting read." The book tells an amazing American story. In 1954 Johnnie Frank Griffin witnessed the violent death of Alabama's Attorney General-elect Albert Patterson. six months later he told a grand jury about it. The next day he was stabbed. He died that night in a hospital built on profits from crime. Nine years later Johnnie Frank's son, Frank Griffin, saw Lee Harvey Oswald fleeing down a Dallas street. Between these two events Frank grew up in one of the strangest decades in American history. His story touches that of Alabama Governor John Patterson. It collides with mob bosses and CIA operations. There's even room for country music and barroom brawls. This book shows how Frank Griffins' life is truly touched by fire and he has survived with strength.

Thank you
Author
Frank Griffin
[ link to this | view in chronology ]