Burr Oaks Cemetary: A Horror Story Continues To Unfold

The horrible news out of Chicago keeps getting worse by the minute. It is just incredibly baffling the lengths that human beings will go to for money, power, notoriety and fame. Those four human beings who worked at the historic Burr Oak Cemetary in Chicago are a sad, sad footnote in the commentary on individuals who who lack common feeling and decency for humanity.

In a career that most of us shudder at, the four individuals who hatched this insane idea to throw those sleeping in death out of their resting places to weedy, wooded, areas in an unattended area in Burr Oaks Cemetary, and then re-sell the deeded plots to families in need of burial services, happen to be beyond greedy. They have to be categorized as mentally unbalanced. Sources say that over three hundred graves have been disturbed and that decaying body parts are stacked partially buried or just piled anywhere without thought or care.

The saddest picture of the tragedy and horror at Burr Oak Cemetary has to be that of the empty and beat up casket of young Emmitt Till. Even though his body had been reburied in a different coffin after his exhumation in June 2006, to see the historic ramifications of an era filled with death and violence, in a corner of a junky garage is heart-breaking. Sources have reported that cemetary manager Carolyn Towns, 49, devised a scheme to scam contributors in giving money for her so-called Emmitt Till Memorial Fund. Needless to say, Ms. Townes pocketed that money and left Till’s casket in a garage to rot!

Perpetua Holdings of Illinois, Inc, owners of Burr Oak Cemetary since 2001 issued a statement that said “we will make every attempt to insure and maintain the dignity of those that have been entrusted to our care.” Now how in the world they propose to that with hundreds of bodies strewn about Burr Oak Cemetary is anyones guess, but a class action law suit has been filed against them. And rightly so. Obviously, the situation at the cemetary has been an ongoing one for years now. As recently as this past May, neighbors and families of those buried at Burr Oak have lodged complaints against the management. Officials say that Perpetua Inc. did contact authorities about accounting irregularities which brought the plot re-selling scam to the forefront. However, that does not absolve Perpetua Inc. Perpetua Inc. representatives dropped the ball and allowed Carolyn Townes to continue to operate day to day business at the cemetary despite the fact that she had once been fired for theft and obviously could not be trusted.

Chicago Sheriff Tom Dart told reporters that thirty to forty “FBI agents from all over the world are coming to Chicago on Monday” to help in the identification of the hundreds of bones and bodies that have been displaced. It is expected that the identification process could take months. Some of the deceased may never be properly identified because of the destruction of deed and plot records officials acknowledge.

Authorities say that the reburial site of Emmitt Till is in tact and has not been disturbed. However, no other information could be obtained regarding the graves of jazz vocalist Dinah Washington and other famous notables buried at Burr Oaks.

Dr. Arnie Klein: Doctor Of Dermatology Or Delusion?

Michael Jackson’s dermatologist Dr. Arnie Klein has been all over the media discussing his famous client’s medical history. The reason behind this media blitz is really nothing more than a way for the good doctor to cash in his fifteen minutes of fame.

On CNN’s “Larry King,” Dr. Klein disclosed that Michael Jackson did indeed suffer from vitiligo. To treat the skin disorder, Dr. Klein said that he prescribed a topical cream that over time bleached Michael’s natural brown hue. Klein acknowledged that the topical cream made Michael’s skin pigmentation light; caucasian in tone, but noted emphatically that “Michael was Black. He was very proud of his heritage.”

Also in that interview, Dr. Klein made known that Michael Jackson suffered from lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body such as skin, joints, blood, and kidneys. As the physician treating Jackson for lupus, or perhaps one of them, Dr. Klein would have probably prescribed a corticosteroid named prednisone. Prednisone is commonly used by patients suffering from lupus.

Prednisone can be administered in several forms: a pill, skin creams, gels, and liquid. The liquid form of prednisone is intravenously injected into the vein in pulses. Having the prednisone  fed through the body intravenously provides longer periods of relief for the patient suffering from lupus. Perhaps this could be why several unsubstantiated reports have made the claims that Michael Jackson had injection sites or needle marks  on his arms and body. Other reports say that Michael’s vein had virtually collapsed.

There are four different types of lupus: cutaneous lupus erythematosus (skin), systemic lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus and neonatal lupus. Dr. Klein did not say which type Michael Jackson acquired.

In other Dr. Klein news, when cornered as to whether or not he is the biological father of Michael Jackson, Klein slyly confessed that he donated sperm, but had no idea where that donation went or if it was used. Dr. Klein told other media outlets that he “didn’t think” that he was the natural father of Prince Michael or Paris Katherine Jackson.