Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Ms Missing And Uid. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Coroners Group Reports $5k Missing
Topic Started: Jun 11 2009, 04:33 AM (293 Views)
Ell
Member Avatar
Administrator
[ *  *  * ]
Coroners' group reports $5K is missing
Attorney general asked to look into the matter
Paul P. Quinn • Special to The Clarion-Ledger • June 11, 2009


OXFORD — The Mississippi Coroners and Medical Examiners Association wants the state attorney general to investigate the alleged misappropriation of $5,000 in association funds.



Association President Greg Merchant told The Clarion-Ledger on Wednesday that a five-person review board investigated the matter after a secretary noticed the money was missing.

"At that time, the three officers (the president, vice president and secretary) had access to the account, but now there are only two because we don't have a vice president," said Merchant, who was vice president and one of the three officers. "We became aware of the missing money after looking into our accounts."

Merchant said members concluded the money was misappropriated because it was converted from association funds to "personal" funds.

Once the association became aware of the discrepancy, then-President Lonnie Weaver, who is Lafayette County coroner, deposited $5,000 into the association's bank account, Merchant said.

On May 5, after three years as association president, Weaver stepped down, citing family problems.

Merchant said the association's investigation was opened around the time Weaver resigned.

Weaver, who also is a patrolman for the Oxford Police Department, hung up on a reporter Wednesday evening.

Merchant, Lowndes County's coroner, said the executive board voted this week to send its findings to the attorney general's office for a criminal investigation.

Merchant would not detail the findings, but said Attorney General Jim Hood "was going to become involved anyway. He assured me of that in a telephone conversation. We decided (as a group) to go ahead and turn our information over."

A spokeswoman for Hood said, "It is our policy to neither confirm nor deny an investigation."

Lloyd Oliphant, president of the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors, said Weaver has been a good coroner for 20 years.

The allegation of misappropriation is being made by a private organization, Oliphant pointed out. "And right now, it's just an allegation," he said.

The 200-member coroners association helps local coroners keep up with training and lobbies for issues related to the profession.

The association's annual convention is next week in Biloxi, and Merchant said members intend to discuss the situation there.

To comment on this story, e-mail Paul P. Quinn at ppquinn84@gmail.com
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090...++5K+is+missing
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · Off Topic · Next Topic »
Add Reply