Georgia crematory operator pleads guilty to dumping 334 bodies News
Georgia crematory operator pleads guilty to dumping 334 bodies

[JURIST] Ray Brent Marsh, a former operator of Georgia's Tri-State Crematory, pleaded guilty Friday to 787 criminal counts including theft, abuse of a corpse, burial service fraud and making false statements. In 2002, an anonymous tip led law enforcement authorities to find over 300 dumped bodies in the woods and buildings behind the family-own crematory, operated by Marsh since 1997. In addressing relatives of the deceased who had received cement dust instead of ashes, Marsh stated, "To those of you who may have come here today looking for answers, I cannot give you [any]." In exchange for his guilty plea, Marsh will face no more than 12 years in prison. In March of this year, funeral-home owners who sent bodies to the Tri-State Crematory settled a class action complaint for $36 million. More information about the civil suits is here. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.