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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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UCLA Body Parts Peddler Found Guilty

Businessman carved up donated cadavers to sell parts for profit

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(Newser) – A businessman who carved up bodies donated to UCLA's medical school and sold them off to research companies has been found guilty of grand theft, the Los Angeles Times reports. Ernest Nelson raked in over $1.5 million from the scheme, which he conspired to carry out with the director of the university's willed-body program, said prosecutors. He now faces up to ten years in prison.

"This was a man for whom money was more important than the safety of doctors and other medical technicians," a prosecutor said. "He was willing to go into a willed-body program and cut up body parts for his own personal financial gain."

Defendant Ernest Nelson looks behind him while awaiting a verdict in his trial yesterday. Nelson was found guilty on eight counts.
Defendant Ernest Nelson looks behind him while awaiting a verdict in his trial yesterday. Nelson was found guilty on eight counts.   (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Ernest Nelson has been found guilty of grand theft and tax evasion.
Ernest Nelson has been found guilty of grand theft and tax evasion.   (AP Photo/UCLA Police Department, File)
Henry Reid director of the UCLA willed body program, pleaded guilty last year to his role in selling off parts of bodies donated to the university.
Henry Reid director of the UCLA willed body program, pleaded guilty last year to his role in selling off parts of bodies donated to the university.   (AP Photo/UCLA Police Department, File)
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3 comments
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kokuaguy
May 15, 09 5:13 AM CDT
Opportunity knocked. Reply
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ClearSight
May 15, 09 5:29 AM CDT
He should work for the Obama administration, he'd fit right in. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Robert_Dada
May 15, 09 12:13 PM CDT
No it was the previous administration that had no respect for humans. A systematic program or torture and lying to start a war that has killed thousands should have taught you that by now.
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 Cadaver Fence Gets 10 Years 


Jun 12, 09 5:43 AM CDT
(Newser) - A man convicted of fencing cadavers stolen from UCLA's willed body program has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, NBC reports. The lawyer for Ernest Nelson, 51, argued that his client’s sales to big-name customers such as Johnson & Johnson were all above board, and that the only... More »

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