PASADENA : Charges Against Funeral Home Owners Reinstated

Nearly three dozen criminal charges, dismissed five years ago in the trial of Lamb Funeral Home owners David, Laurieanne and Jerry Sconce have been reinstated by an appeals court.

The decision this week by the 2nd District Court of Appeal means that the Sconces, still awaiting trial on other criminal charges, could be tried on 34 additional charges. They include unauthorized removal of body parts, falsification of death certificates, mutilation of human remains, conspiracy to obstruct justice and bribery.

The charges arose in 1987 after the Sconces were accused of illegal mass cremations and co-mingling of ashes. In 1988, Pasadena Superior Court Judge Terry Smerling dismissed more than half of the 67 charges. In reversing the dismissal, the appeals court indicated that Smerling overstepped his judicial authority by reviewing the factual basis for the charges instead of limiting his review to legal issues, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Dirk Hudson, who handled the county’s appeal.

The appeals court ruling becomes final in 60 days, but the Sconces’ attorneys can file an appeal to the state Supreme Court. However, Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Nishinaka said that the ruling leaves little room for an appeal. Attorneys for the Sconces either declined to comment or could not be reached.