Posted on 04/19/2008 6:10:53 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Fearing gang retaliation, funeral home refuses to bury couple's son 'IT'S CRAZY' | Family says 2 funeral homes rejected beaten teen, 3rd offered only brief rite, fearing violence
April 18, 2008
BY STEFANO ESPOSITO Staff Reporter sesposito@suntimes.com
The family wanted something simple for John Mendoza -- the chance to see the 16-year-old one final time and then to say goodbye.
But two Chicago funeral homes told the grief-stricken Mendozas this week they couldn't help, and a third offered only an abbreviated service -- all because John Mendoza had been beaten to death and the funeral homes feared gang retaliation, the Mendozas say.
Ofelia and Jose Anthony Mendoza, parents of John Mendoza, stand outside the Wolniak Funeral Home on Pulaski Thursday.
"It's crazy," said Jose Mendoza, 48, the dead boy's uncle. "Here we are trying to bury our poor nephew so he can rest in peace, and these people are being boneheads."
John Mendoza was found bludgeoned to death in a South Side alley Monday morning. Detectives haven't ruled out gang involvement, but the Mendozas insist the 16-year-old wasn't in a gang and had in fact recently changed schools to avoid being sucked into that life.
Representatives of the three Chicago funeral homes either wouldn't discuss how they handled the Mendozas' funeral request or disagree with what the family says happened.
Richard Modelski, owner of Modell Funeral Homes, denied that the Mendozas were refused service.
But any time someone dies violently, Modelski takes precautions, he said, including requiring a $2,000 fee to pay for extra security.
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
If I was a Chicago police commissioner, I would take this as a personal affront - the idea that someone in my city cannot be buried for fear of gang violence. Law enforcement is the basis of any free society and free market.
was = were
Saw an article recently about a new trend in violence at funerals. This must be more than a trend for the funeral homes to be turning away business. A sign of the times I guess.
Definitely says something about Chicago.
Enough to give one the audacity not to hope!
This is just beyond sad.
Sounds like gun control actually worked pretty well in this case. The deceased was beaten, not shot.
Yes - I am sure that is why the funeral home didn't want this business. Fear of boxing...
Looks like a business opportunity. A couple of enterprising types could make some good money offering armed funeral escorts.
And then get hired to protect a Mexican village from bandits. They wouldn’t even have to go to Mexico to find one!
Pretty well. We only had 20 shot in 24 hours Friday pm thru Sat am or so.
I thought the same thing but Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner are no more.
I thought the same thing but Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner are no more.
Whoops. I was too quick on the draw.
I seem to remember an incident back in the 70s where a gang member’s body was dumped from the coffin. Latin Kings or Disciples thing in the Humboldt park area. Memory gets foggy though....
“But any time someone dies violently, Modelski takes precautions, he said, including requiring a $2,000 fee to pay for extra security.”
Wait a minute. What do you want to bet they asked the family for this $2000 and the family claimed that they wouldn’t bury the young man, based on the fact that since the family couldn’t pay it, that translated into “they wouldn’t bury him”
“Chicago - has some of the “toughest” gun control laws in the country - how is it working?”
Obviously, they need to ban blunt objects.
Maybe Obama could create peace in Chicago before he tries to take on the entire world..... it would be one hell of a resume item for a guy who desperately needs something which looks like an actual accomplishment.
Well, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short are still alive.
Amazing this is happening in America. In Iraq, cowardly terrorists blow up funerals but we should be secure when we honor the dead. Liberalism has lead us down a dark path. This is the result of the fight against profiling and pretending gang violence doesn’t exist.
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